Time to be You, DIY-Style

June 12, 2008

So I thought I’d spend a little time tonight explaining my version of the term “Rock and Roll Mama”. It doesn’t mean you have to have pink hair, tattoos, or pierce your offspring. Although if you do any of those things, rock on. (Except the offspring piercing. That’s just nasty.)

No, what I’m talking about is letting your own, personal light shine forth, in whatever version works for you. Not hiding your light under a bushel. So often it’s not even a bushel, it’s like a blackout tarp with duct-tape, because we’re afraid of our lights. Afraid if others see them, they’ll call them dim, or that they won’t make the pretty rabbit shapes on the wall we’d initially hoped for. But here’s the thing: it’s yours. Own it. Use it. Shine it in people’s faces like the cop in Cool Hand Luke.

I bet a lot of people told Janis she sucked and should stop singing. And I can just imagine Janis, in her awesome gravelly voice, telling them to piss off and doing what she wanted anyway. That’s what I’m talking about. (With a happy ending.)

So if there’s something you want to do, something that’s yours, go do it. Even if you feel too fat/old/stupid/ill-equipped/tired/near-sighted/hypo-glycemic/gassy/bloated/under-caffeinated/over-emotional about it, just give it a shot. Take baby steps. Forgive yourself along the way. We weren’t all born playing 8 minute guitar solos behind our backs with acid under our headbands, you know. Quit talking mean to yourself. Before Spinal Tap had a tour bus, there was a van. A DIY van. (Yes, I know they’re not a real band.)

You’re the driver of your DIY van. You can pass out by the side of the highway and miss the gig cause you took too much mescaline, or you can conquer. SO GET OUT THERE AND KICK SOME ASS.

I’m not saying I walk this walk all day every day. Some days are scarier than others. Some people will always be better at stuff than me, and faster, and stronger, and smarter. I’m mostly OK with that. All I can do is try to get better. My favorite question is, “What’s the worst thing that could happen if I tried?” The answer is usually Nothing.

My absolute all time favorite call-to-action spoken word thing is Bob Dylan’s “Last Thoughts On Woodie Guthrie”. Many, many times this little ditty’s kept me putting one foot in front of the other. So if you have 7 minutes to spare, check it out. Let me know what you think.
xoxo,
L

Posted in Rock and Roll Mama