by Sara Mild

“With historical past piling up so quick, virtually each day is the anniversary of one thing terrible.” – Author & Artist, Joe Brainard

Not too long ago, whereas cleansing out my closet, I occurred upon a small guide of Each day Meditations given to me by a buddy a very long time in the past referred to as The Promise of a New Day (copyright 1983). The guide goes by every day of the 12 months and gives a quote and a brief non secular reflection.  I hadn’t opened this guide in nicely over a decade, however final week I discovered myself turning to the February seventh meditation which begins with the quote on the high of this web page. 

At first I used to be shocked to learn this quote from the 1980’s that felt so related for right now’s world. However then I spotted that in each decade, at each level in historical past change is inevitable, and with change comes discomfort, concern, anger, and because the quote says, “the anniversary of one thing terrible.” Artist, Joe Brainard, who’s quoted above, died in 1994 of AIDS. Can we take a second of pause to mirror on how extremely scary and unhappy that point in our historical past was till, thank goodness, we discovered a remedy for HIV?  Our wonderful scientific and medical neighborhood created an antidote to one thing horrific.  

Clearly, as writers and artists, we’ve got a accountability to mirror the difficulty on the earth round us as songwriters like Woodie Guthrie and Bob Dylan did within the 1960’s. However can’t we additionally create an antidote to the every day assault of terrible information? If historical past is comprised of occasions of hassle, warfare, illness, starvation, and hate, isn’t it simply as vital to focus on the love, compassion, easy moments of belief, assist, hope, and success?

As a songwriting train, strive making a checklist of the little issues which have stored you motivated, impressed, pleased, or introduced you peace of thoughts, throughout these troublesome occasions. Kissing the one you love good evening, scratching your canine’s tummy, taking a stroll close to a stream, sipping on a scorching cup of espresso, holding open a door for a stranger and exchanging a smile. Preserve a part in your “title guide” or concept journal particularly for a every day dose of positivity. See in case you can apply a heightened consciousness for the nice issues that we regularly take with no consideration like a praise from a buddy, being within the quick line on the grocery retailer, having sufficient gasoline in your automotive, birds chirping whenever you open your door, or a heat coat when it’s chilly outdoors. Write all of it down.  These specifics will inform your lyric with a common theme of gratitude and  present a totally different perspective on our present occasions. Deliver this angle into your subsequent tune.

Sara Mild has been writing professionally in Nashville since 1996 and had served as a workers songwriter for Zamalama Music and Curb Magnatone Music Publishing. Her credit embody the John Michael Montgomery title observe and the hit single “House To You” which acquired an ASCAP airplay award along with being named SESAC tune of the 12 months for having garnered 2 million spins on radio. She additionally composed songs for the musical “City Cowboy” which opened on Broadway in March 2003 and was nominated for a Tony Award for Greatest Authentic Rating. Take a look at SongU at:  https://www.songu.com/

For info on the 25th Annual USA Songwriting Competitors, go to: https://www.songwriting.internet