Listening to the Fiddler
"The Earth keeps some vibration going
There in your heart, and that is you."
~ Fiddler Jones, Spoon River Anthology, Edgar Lee Masters
Spoon River Anthology was required reading in one of my high school English classes. I don't know if that's a common choice or if the fact that Spoon River is an Illinois location might have played a role, but I'm glad this book wound up in my path just the same. It's a collection of poems, each written in the voice of a different "resident" of a small town cemetery. Over the course of the book, you get the singular glints of individual lives, but also the collective glow of shared stories, and a larger picture of the town emerges. In that respect, the literature reflects the way the real world works; A community is bound together by shared experience, but we each have our own perspectives and our own stories to tell. I think this was a big part of the appeal for me and why I have kept my copy and reread it from time to time. But although I love the art as a whole, the individual piece that is Fiddler Jones has settled into a special place in my heart.
Fiddler Jones is half a story. Paired with Cooney Potter, it tells the tale of two men, each starting with 40 acres of land, and how their nature and choices directed the course of their lives. Cooney Potter is driven to work his 40 acres diligently until he can increase it to 1000. He works, saves, and succeeds; but the drive for wealth and empire costs him his life, not just killing him, but robbing him of experiences beyond that single-minded focus. In contrast, Fiddler Jones tries to be a good farmer, but can't resist the call of music in his life. By Cooney Potter's standards, I imagine Fiddler Jones never really amounted to anything, yet when he dies, it is with "not a single regret."
Each of us has an essential nature, and like Fiddler Jones' call to music, we need to indulge that nature to be truly happy. You need to get out and live the things that make you you. Collecting wealth, land, or things is not the goal of this life; it's discovering who you are and collecting experiences.
Admittedly, a certain amount of financial security is necessary to cover basic needs. I don't advocate an all-play-and-no-work scenario because it's just not practical. The ideal is to be able to find an occupation that meshes with your inspiration. However, if you can't sustain yourself with your essential nature, you don't need to leave it behind. With a little reflection, you can find ways to indulge your muse that fit in your lifestyle. Too often, we get distracted by the business of living or by collecting the things that society uses as success points, and we forget those things that make us feel alive. We don't have much time on this earth. Most of the great thinkers throughout history have made that observation. Why waste time on excess material things? Do things. Share time with people you love. Create things. Spend your limited time being the truest you.
Then, of course that very suggestion can generate some stress, itself. What if you don't have one clear direction for your life? Ask most graduating high school seniors, and they'll tell you they don't really know what they want to do with their lives. Those who have a direction might change it several times before they settle in to where they really feel they belong. You might hesitate to dive into any one pursuit, fearing that choosing will close off the other options. But seeking your music can be your adventure as surely as if you knew your path. Leap in, and be prepared to change your mind when you feel a resonance with something new.
Recently, my family has suffered the loss of two elders, both in one week. As sad as that may be, it has provided an opportunity for reflection. Both women were well-loved. Both had long lives filled with stories. In some way, the blow is softened knowing that they lived well. Death comes to all of us, but if it comes after a lifetime of really living, it's like closing a good book at the end. Their example inspires us, just as the literary example of Fiddler Jones. Our primary aim is to listen to that vibration the earth has sounded in us and follow that music through the dance of our lives.
There in your heart, and that is you."
~ Fiddler Jones, Spoon River Anthology, Edgar Lee Masters
Spoon River Anthology was required reading in one of my high school English classes. I don't know if that's a common choice or if the fact that Spoon River is an Illinois location might have played a role, but I'm glad this book wound up in my path just the same. It's a collection of poems, each written in the voice of a different "resident" of a small town cemetery. Over the course of the book, you get the singular glints of individual lives, but also the collective glow of shared stories, and a larger picture of the town emerges. In that respect, the literature reflects the way the real world works; A community is bound together by shared experience, but we each have our own perspectives and our own stories to tell. I think this was a big part of the appeal for me and why I have kept my copy and reread it from time to time. But although I love the art as a whole, the individual piece that is Fiddler Jones has settled into a special place in my heart.
Fiddler Jones is half a story. Paired with Cooney Potter, it tells the tale of two men, each starting with 40 acres of land, and how their nature and choices directed the course of their lives. Cooney Potter is driven to work his 40 acres diligently until he can increase it to 1000. He works, saves, and succeeds; but the drive for wealth and empire costs him his life, not just killing him, but robbing him of experiences beyond that single-minded focus. In contrast, Fiddler Jones tries to be a good farmer, but can't resist the call of music in his life. By Cooney Potter's standards, I imagine Fiddler Jones never really amounted to anything, yet when he dies, it is with "not a single regret."
Each of us has an essential nature, and like Fiddler Jones' call to music, we need to indulge that nature to be truly happy. You need to get out and live the things that make you you. Collecting wealth, land, or things is not the goal of this life; it's discovering who you are and collecting experiences.
Admittedly, a certain amount of financial security is necessary to cover basic needs. I don't advocate an all-play-and-no-work scenario because it's just not practical. The ideal is to be able to find an occupation that meshes with your inspiration. However, if you can't sustain yourself with your essential nature, you don't need to leave it behind. With a little reflection, you can find ways to indulge your muse that fit in your lifestyle. Too often, we get distracted by the business of living or by collecting the things that society uses as success points, and we forget those things that make us feel alive. We don't have much time on this earth. Most of the great thinkers throughout history have made that observation. Why waste time on excess material things? Do things. Share time with people you love. Create things. Spend your limited time being the truest you.
Then, of course that very suggestion can generate some stress, itself. What if you don't have one clear direction for your life? Ask most graduating high school seniors, and they'll tell you they don't really know what they want to do with their lives. Those who have a direction might change it several times before they settle in to where they really feel they belong. You might hesitate to dive into any one pursuit, fearing that choosing will close off the other options. But seeking your music can be your adventure as surely as if you knew your path. Leap in, and be prepared to change your mind when you feel a resonance with something new.
Recently, my family has suffered the loss of two elders, both in one week. As sad as that may be, it has provided an opportunity for reflection. Both women were well-loved. Both had long lives filled with stories. In some way, the blow is softened knowing that they lived well. Death comes to all of us, but if it comes after a lifetime of really living, it's like closing a good book at the end. Their example inspires us, just as the literary example of Fiddler Jones. Our primary aim is to listen to that vibration the earth has sounded in us and follow that music through the dance of our lives.
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