As I have shared in previous blogs music fulfills me. In honor of my dad on this Father’s Day I am so thankful to him for giving me my first guitar when I was just 9 years old. That has resulted in a lifelong Source of joy and fulfillment in my life. And thankfully through the years of trial and error I have found my unique voice expression.
As a singer and songwriter, I have tried many different styles of music in the quest to find my own “personal sound.” As with most people just starting out in their creative pursuits, I originally found myself imitating the styles of others, hoping to find my own niche in the process. Seals and Crofts, John Denver, The Eagles, America, and Bread were some of the early influences on my taste in music. (Can you tell how old I am?!)
However, as helpful as it may be to learn the style of others, I have concluded that even the best imitation is not as good as the original. So, be yourself! Anything else is a sure prescription for more loose ends.
When I was recording the song “Hide Me in the Shadow” on my Carry Me CD, (found on I-Tunes) I felt as if I finally had “found my voice.” Although there were many other good songs on the CD, something special happened in the recording studio when I sang that song. It tapped into my bloodline going back generations. In that magic moment, it was as if I had a taste of my destiny. I found myself thinking, this is the kind of music I was born to sing! It felt as though I had finally “come home” to my true self.
What style of music is this song? It’s hard to categorize. It could be described as contemporary, folksy, alternative or Irish/Celtic. Even though the style may seem a conglomeration of genres, it is the real me! I am almost three-fourths Irish.
. “By the way, I recently found out that I have a famous song writer in my family, James Francis McHugh. He wrote music for Broadway and Movies in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Wow!”
When we “find our voice”—something we really enjoy doing—it’s likely that others will enjoy it, too. “Hide Me in the Shadow” has been one of my CD’s most popular songs on radio stations across the country. Some of the other tracks on the project are arguably better songs, but “Hide Me in the Shadow” has had an extraordinary impact because of the way it resonates with who I am.
What about you? Have you found your voice in life and discovered what you were designed for? I love this quote from Olympic gold medalist, Eric Liddell, whose story is chronicled in the movie “Chariots of Fire”: “God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” Eric had found his place in this world, and as a result, he experienced God’s favor.
As my friend Kathrine Lee likes to say, “Live YOUR life—not someone else’s! The more you get to know your Designer, the more you’ll discover your design.” Doesn’t this make sense? Your Creator is your Designer, and you should let your Designer also be your Definer!
What about you?
Describe a time in your life when you felt truly alive and able to fully express who the Designer created you to be.
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