Connections | Rest In Power

This day, September Eleventh, is one that many take to remember sadness and loss and death and destruction. But there were also, some pretty creative people born on this day too… Mickey Hart, Victor Wooten, Harry Connick Jr, Moby, Kristy McNichol, Lola Falana, Tommy Shaw, Brian DePalma… It is also the day we lost Peter Tosh…

Oddly, my dad was scheduled to be on flight 93 but booking arrangements changed last minute and he (thankfully) ended up on another plane. As I sat this morning, listening to the rain, I was torn from my focus on work, to ponder what today shall represent in my mind and heart.

Connections.

911 will forever represent connections to Source and eachother.

Interesting how our times come when we are lined up for them.

Every person lost in that tragedy was a teacher and I do pray we are learning what they came to show us. As many connections felt so very broken on that day, many were made, and beautiful things had to have happened too. Somewhere a child was born.

I look for reasons to savor life and love on this day and magnify that energy, because I believe that coming into connection with the fullness of me and you and you and them and us is how we will save me and you and you and you and them and us.

If the “they” could have it their way, we would cower in fear forevermore and the machine would run us all over.

When I had the fortune of spending time with the Wailers in the early 90’s, Seku, a percussionist who was there when the Wailers came to be, told me a story I had never heard.

In Seku’s words, Joe Higgs, was a vocal coach for the three Wailers.

While working with them, he gave––what I believe to be this album––to Peter Tosh and told him to take it home, hang with it and return in a month.

And, it suddenly made sense why I had always noticed flashes of similarity between the two voices. Though I chose to believe there is some truth to the tale….

I cannot say whether that story is true or not, I always wanted to to ask Joe Higgs about those times, and alas, he is no longer with us.

And I assume, if so, that the album was 1983 because Indian Rope Man is on it.

Bob later went on to record the song African Herbsman.

The footage here is hazy and the sound quality poor as heck, but it is footage from the time… So I shared it regardless of the issues. You can find a clean version on youtube too. He most certainly did the song justice.  🙂

While looking for I Am That I Am, I found this…

I had no idea, and was moved to utter tears this morning.

The connections that weave us all together are mysterious and beautiful…

Life continues, and what we choose to keep in our focus

lives in our hearts and that––is what survives.

~*~

Learn to love… To love your Brother

Don’t covet your neighbor

Get out of the city ‘cus it is so shitty

Full of false equity

I said I am that I am

I am

I am

I am

Rest in Power Dad

Rest in Power Peter

Rest in Power Bob

And every teacher of Strength and Unity––may you rest in Power.

Power to the People.

Fortify the Roots with Love… today and all days.

***NOTE:

• “False Equity” is what I hear when he says “out-a-quity”
• I chooce not to seperate Each and Other when I write the word eachother––sue me.