Spread Aloha and Follow Your Dreams !

I must confess I stole this title from my friend Torito Keoni LeBord. I have believed this for as long as I could remember but haven't always been consistent at doing either. Aloha has many meanings when translated to English. One of the deeper meanings of aloha is expressed in the following:

"Aloha is being a part of all, and all being a part of me. When there is pain - it is my pain. When there is joy - it is also mine. I respect all that is as part of the Creator and part of me. I will not willfully harm anyone or anything. When food is needed I will take only my need and explain why it is being taken. The earth, the sky, the sea are mine to care for, to cherish and to protect. This is Hawaiian - this is Aloha!"

Aloha has been my code of ethics for a very long time upon reflection. It's a big reason why the current state of polarizing politics in the US of A is so discouraging and why I feel compelled to be involved supporting those that feel they don't have a voice or aren't being heard.

The other part of the title borrowed from Torito, "Follow Your Dreams", is something I've also always believed but so many times have allowed myself to get detoured. The detouring is a big factor of perhaps why I'm not where I want to be with my singing. Don't get me wrong. I love the opportunities that have presented themselves and the wonderful people I've met along the way. It's just that I often wonder where I'd be with my music if I had listened to my soul-stirring more than the pesky voice of fear. I also take a step back now and then and realize perhaps this is exactly where I need to be right now. I remember all our life paths are different just in the same way I believe that all paths, no matter how individual, lead to God or whatever one chooses to call it.

My dear friend and fellow singer Jojie Natividad made her transition from the earthly plane on Monday, July 14th, 2014.  She was a super young and vivacious 42 year old woman who made up for her tiny physical stature of approximately 4' 11" with how large she showed up in life.

For me, she was such an example of someone following their dreams even as she questioned herself along the way.  I felt such a kindred spirit with her because of this.  Her singing voice was powerfully strong and with beautiful tone, the tone that only comes as a gift from the Universe.  I loved the times we could sing together.  The last time she and I did so was on March 16, 2014 at the Amazing Grace Spiritual Center in Ballard neighborhood of Seattle.  She graciously stepped in at the very last moment as my back up singer on several songs after listening me go over them with the house band on the very morning of the performance.  Additionally, she made sure that my songs were video recorded and placed on YouTube.

Here is one of the songs that Jojie backed me on, March 16th, 2014, "Calling All Angels" by Train:

Jojie's passing has got me to think about the process of grief and how it is, much like Jojie herself, unique onto ourselves. It can also be deeply personal.  We can feel it in no particular order.  Sometimes it comes across as sadness, anger, surreal-ness, etc.  Sometimes we want to share it with others and other times we feel we need to be alone with our thoughts and feelings.  It's all good so long as at some point we acknowledge our grief to ourselves and/or others rather than to continually ignore it.  I want to post this from a newsletter Rev. Eric O'del sent out about grieving:

No matter what anyone says,
when you lose someone you love
there is no right way to grieve.

If you need to weep and wail in public
or in private,
for a day,
or for years,
that’s the right way to grieve.

If you need to be alone and quiet
or connecting with people you love,
that’s the right way to grieve.

If you thank the God of your Understanding
for the gift of your loved one’s company
and claim some comfort for your loss,
or rail at the heavens,
cursing the finality of Death,
that’s the right way, too.

At any given time,
you may even be All of the Above.

You are who you are,
and you grieve the way you grieve.

Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.

I am also posting the following from Rev. Colette Mercier.  She sent this email out yesterday and I'm including part of it.

"If you ever doubt your importance, the significance of the small daily gifts of yourself to others, the beauty of your just being YOU full out, let this outpouring of love and gratitude for Jojie remind you that everything you do matters and changes the lives of others. You are beautiful, you are powerful, you are Love in action".

And as another friend of mine, Devi Bhaktananda lovingly put it:

" To honor Jojie, I invite you to commit to loving, valuing, and honoring yourself and your power to brighten this world and lighten this earthly journey, easily and effortlessly, simply by being the Divine Light you already are."

I leave you with this song that I made a picture montage for.  I'm beyond blessed to have known Jojie and I accept Devi's invitation with an open heart knowing it will lead to my dreams being fulfilled perhaps even in ways I've never imagined.

In loving kindness,
Stephen