Inspiration From the Streets
It was around 9 pm after work when I was approaching the underground subway station where I catch a train home. From a distance, I heard the exploding rich harmonies and passionate melodies of an old man’s sensational voice; it was such a voice that was extremely soothing and caressing. As I slowly got near him I couldn’t help but notice how he perfectly situated himself in a manner that allowed him to fully embrace his vintage guitar. With each strum of the strings his raw passion for the guitar exploded, and he caressed it with immense passion. Like most of the passengers, his heart was absorbed in the symphonies of his own music. Carefully, he recited the sultry lyrics to his song. From the energy he was radiating, you could tell that this man was there to give… We made eye contact as he glanced up and said “have a good evening beautiful lady” with a bright smile. My heart felt warm, my muscles were numb, I wanted to stop and ask, Why?
This is not the first time I have been impressed by the talented musicians that perform in the streets of America. I have stopped in New York city to listen to a young man who played his keyboard so joyfully. Another day we were clapping for a young musician who was on tour around San Francisco to spread love, and not so long ago I was impressed by a young disabled lady who played her harp so happily in the Subway in Philadelphia. These incidents have also reminded me of the mothers that scatter in the streets of Harare in Zimbabwe, selling vegetables for 50 cents each day in order to earn a living. Despite that it may be hot outside, or that it may be raining heavily, these mothers are persistent, they persevere through any kind of storm, and they wait until they find one or two clients in order for them to return home and feed their children. If you pay attention enough they may even smile, greet you and wish you a wonderful day when you pass by.
I look at both the musicians and the mothers on the streets and even though their stories are different, in many ways I have found inspiration from both. Regardless of their circumstances, they have goals and each day they get up in the morning and they do something. Very few people pay attention to the man who sits on the subway to play music and that in itself dictates how low their earning are. The fact that they perform from places like train stations even limits their prospects of becoming famous or performing to large crowds for more rewards. Despite that, each morning, they leave their home, and they get out there to perform. Their dedication and passion is impressive. In some cases, their main goals are focused on non-material things: they want to spread love, and they smile at you even though you do not give them anything. These men and women know to say “thank you” “please” and they are both talented and more polite than the “talented” artists we listen to and look up to online today. They never had opportunities like the famous artists, but they still want to entertain and find their place in the world. Likewise, the mothers on the streets work hard each day to provide for and to support their families. They rise beyond their circumstances, THEY MAKE THINGS WORK!
From life’s lessons, I have learned that we all have different stories. However, our circumstances should never stop us from pursuing our goals, or from caring for the people who are around us. I want a world where our society can find inspiration from simple places like subways, a world where we can be inspired by men and women who spend their lives on the streets to earn a living. My hope is that some day we can read about their stories in the media, and that it becomes important that the artist we look up to, are also well mannered. Most importantly, in my world, smiles are game changers, so if we see these people working hard on the streets, instead of looking disgusted we can at least give them a smile back.
