Hey! Welcome to my first Blog. Ever. Seriously, I have no idea what the hell I'm doing here. But, I like to write creatively and apparently "blogging" is a thing, so here I go. I chose to call this Blog "The Bridge" because in music a bridge in the simplest of terms is a transition between the front half of the song and the last half of the song. It's noticeably different musically, rhythmically, melodically and/or lyrically than the other sections. The listener instinctively knows the song is moving from the front half to the back without even needing to understand what the composer did to make it happen because of the bridge. If you've ever crossed a bridge in your life, it's not hard to understand where the musical function gets its name. Not every song has or needs a bridge. That decision is left up to the composer. I don't always use them, but when the song calls for it, I love writing them. They are my favorite part of any song!
All that said...a bridge to me sounds a lot like what most of us go through in life at some point. We experience a place and time in life where the story has been told, we've pumped our fist and chanted our refrain through each chorus and it's time to start thinking about how we are going to end our song. We have to begin to prepare the listener for what to expect from us as we bring it all home. Just like in music, the bridge is going to naturally sound and look a little different. And if you're paying close attention, you'll notice it too. You'll notice it in your favorite songs and you'll notice it happening deep inside you and even in those around you, particularly those hitting what some would call "middle age." It's simply change and just like in songwriting, I'd like to be very deliberate in how I make that transition. I want it to be done intelligently and in a way that makes sense to the listener (friends and family and all those I love) who surround me.
So welcome to my bridge! I have no idea what the last half of life looks like for me. Honestly, none of us know what tomorrow looks like or if we are even guaranteed a tomorrow. But make no mistake, every one of us will reach a point when we know change is required. We will start to look at what we have accomplished and examine our past decisions, the good, the bad and the lost opportunity, gained wisdom...all of it. And we'll decide what it all means moving forward and hopefully have the fortitude to begin making deliberate, conscious decisions on how we'd like our song to end. For me at age 52, it's been a couple years coming. I began writing my bridge a few years ago. I'm inviting you along for the ride. Hang around and I'll try to show you what my "bridge" looks like through humor, probably a few insider confessions and insights and if I have my way...through the music that I play and write. If I'm truly blessed it'll be through the music I get to share with complete strangers because something tells me a lot of folks are out there either writing or contemplating what their own bridge looks like. Their songs are all just as beautiful and inspiring as mine and maybe I can help them write that bridge they need to set up for their own song's final verse.
Stay tuned...
