Today from out of the bluest of the blue, I received a telephone call from a gentleman that I had not seen or talked to since I was fourteen years old. He was nineteen. His name is Leon Kaplan --( I hope that's the correct spelling)-- and he was my older sister's first boyfriend way back in 1961. Now, you may remember than I am sixty years old and he is now sixty-five. Now that me feel old fast, but it was also delightful to talk with him. He had a great life and had followed his heart to other paths. But it was really nice to talk with someone who had know n my mother and dad fondly and remembered them as being the amazing couple that they were. We talked about the Easters and the Christmases and how my dad painted and it was all very pleasant. I am happy that he likes my writing and can appreciate the hard work that goes into it all. I am amazed myself just how I got into this crazy songwriting career== the absolute sheer chance in a million that allowed me to become a songwriter. A lot of people don't understand my creativity. Sometimes my own sisters don't. But that's okay because I know I am following God's plan for my life. People are amazed that I have stuck with this for as long as I have, but I have a nickname of "Tenacity Jones"-- and that kind of explains it all. There is a great and wonderful difference between the word "stubborn" and the word "tenacious". If we are stubborn we stick with something because we are too vain to give it all up. But if we are "tenacious", we stick like glue to something because we not only hear a "different drummer" but we also hear a voice within our very souls and hearts that cries out: "Don't walk away -- the miracle is coming. That voice is God's . He whispers to our hearts and our hearts (who will never tell us a lie) shouts the joyous good news to us. So many times we don't follow the Good Lord's plan for our lives. We fight Him. We go our own way. And then after everything goes wrong, we wonder why our lives turned out as they have. I wrote once in a musical of mine a very prophetic line. That line was "God requires nothing, but desires a great deal" What God desires is for us to follow the road he has designed. Okay so we think we are on that road. And the worse happens. our hearts are broken. our spirits are crushed, our dreams don't come true. But maybe just maybe we didn't hear the message of our hearts. What we heard was our pride selling us a dream like a cheap carnival barker-- "Step right up-- take a chance-- everybody wins. I'm afraid not, If everybody "won" every contest of life, the carnival of living would soon be out of prizes. Then we'd never have a chance anyway. I wrote a song called "Listen To Your Heart" that is currently at my website: www.broadwaysongman.com. that can found in the music section. I urge you to listen to it. It might just tell you something you need to hear. I am happy that I heard from Leon Kaplan today. He has had a great life and has grandchildren and is still grateful for his days with my sister. We are who were meant to be-- sometimes by accident, sometimes by heartbreak and sometimes by a long journey in the desert of life. We must trust in our hearts and we must trust in God. Happy accidents have filled my life. One is my amazing friend TIM DORAN-- who has given so much to me over the years. he has shared and taught me so much. Another is dear sweet John Nugent whom I am now writing with. Now if John is not a walking blessing from God, then I must be blind, death and lame in all perception of living. I call him "The Gift"-- and he is. The odds of my meeting and writing with him (more at one time with than I ever have with in my life) was about one billion jillion to one. With Tim, one billion gillion and three. Why do we question the gifts in our life? Who knows? Some people not only look that gift horse in the mouth, they start counting the cavities while they are at it. All of the blessings of my life: Tony Westbrook, Terry Snyder, David Holmes, Bill Lewis and SMOOTH SOUND studios where i do all my recording. So God Bless you, Leon-- it was nice to hear from you.
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