Music is most often the breath of life

* there will be little to no spell check on this one. think of it as sugar in the raw. *

" Acts performed for any of these reasons may be god and righteous, and as a result, i may grow spiritually, or not. But for an act to be part of a "path" , we must have the intention to grow or awaken." ~"Setting out a path to service.' ~ Ram Dass

"In addition these ways of understanding our journey , there are devotional ways. The intention to remember and celebrate God is an act of devotion. We may consider gos as our beloved and see each act as an offering or service or demonstration of our love" ~Ram Dass


"The music of life is in danger of being lost in the music of the voice'~ Mohandas Gandhi

Each moment in life is new. Wouldnt you agree? Each moment is precious every time you stop to think about it. Right now you are precious teaming with life, potential, an full of love if you will allow it.

This is my second year honorably serving the Relay For life Committee. Every moment I do something that moves me froward or moves me back, i am so honored to do this, to look at myself so honestly. It is these rare moments of honesty with ourselves, you can see the true meaning of life or what your life's intention hold. This year I am working with my dear friend Camille on the entertainment events for the full 24 hour event.

* On a side note i want to thank her for keeping me on track. i have found, as i continue my journey to be an act of love that for the most part, it is work. Hard work. It is not always rainbows and popsicles. The work may come with or without an end result but you do it as an act of yourself being an instrument to what suffering you can end to the world. After a conversation with her tonight, i am gently reminded to not get lost in the details of the hard work it is, but what the cause is. What it is you not only stand for , but what you see the world others as being, their deep potential of the possibility of what could be. Thank you my most humble friend. I did , for a momet get lost in details, and lost what the big picture was. AFter a simple conversation, you brought me back to light *

Before I get too far, let me digress into what Relay For Life is and what it means. Relay for Life is a 24 hour event in which people from the community gather for hope. There are teams formed and they take turns through a 24 hour period walking a track. Campsites are set, the track is lit late in the night with luminarias which burn through the night and light the track. These limnairas carry the names of loved ones who have faced cancer in their lives. By dusk, everyone seems tired yet they press on, for remembered loved ones, for themselves, for loved ones they know have beat the odds, or maybe just for the liveliness that hope does exist. Then sun comes up and hope regains its strength and gently reminds us that life is precious and not to be wasted in the details.

The journey of the event is supposed to symbolize what courage , strength, and what hope can truly be. i believe there is a cure for cancer. i believe that nature, including animals, can teach us things we need to know. Nature and the life it holds are so important to our well-being. ( I cannot stress enough how, i believe, we are part of the eco-system, however, not necessarily the most important part) we are all connected. i believe that not everything comes easy and no matter what form it is. If you are passionate about anything at all you will stop and learn to understand it. Sometimes, you are meant just listen, and feel.

This year I am working with Cammile to secure that people are entertained throughout the day, an even more so: the music.
Sometimes (all the time in my opinion) listening to music can bring you to terms with whatever it may be that is inside you. It cannot only make you feel and think things that you would not do or say, sometimes , it simply does it for you. It is effortless in the connectivity it can create between your soul and other people.


This year, compared even more so than last, i have taken the time to listen. I have head the most heartfelt stories I cannot even tell you beyond this keyboard. Even to talk on the phone, to various local musicians, has humbled me beyond words. I believe that music can truly connect people for this event and that is what i think music can do: heal and give hope. Many people that are faced cancer or any element simply need to know they are not alone. Absolutely nobody should ever feel alone. We are not. You are not alone. Nor are they. We must fight caner. I think with music, passion and just the notion of hope, we can win.

i am honored to have such a variety of feedback and love in all different ways. A gospel choir, a steel drummer, reggae bands, an Irish jig, etc. Its just too fun to not enjoy life with all of this talent and music around you.

I want to thank all of the musicians , with lovely talent, that have, thus far, have commit ed to performing at this event. I believe the gift of music will sink into our hearts, either with a laugh or tear,and keep that energy and spirit alive, even just to make that extra lap that can symbolize so much. I believe music can heal and give hope that words alone are too shy to convey. Furthermore, I cannot tell you how impressed I am with the music community in San Diego. What beautiful souls you are! Every response ive received has been positive and endearing.

Camille and i are honored and excited to have you be a part of this event .


I invite you to take a stand and join us. Either by joining a team, volunteering your gifts talent, a donation, I promise you it WILL make a difference. If their is one thing I do know, it is THAT EVERY LITTLE BITS HELPS.

For more information please contact me at :
mcbrooke321@yahoo.com

To donate or register as a team or survivor visit:

www.relayforlife.org/sandiegodowntownca


On another note , there has been one song that just seems to speak to me and has been my anthem, this year and last.... i always think of my grandmother fighting breast cancer when I was nine and I , at that time didn't even even really know what it was. I still can't hear this song without crying , remembering her strength and grace. If only we could know how to pull it close and make it stay....:

Always on you Side: Sheryl Crow ( at times with Sting , my favorite version)

My yesterdays are all boxed up and neatly put away
But every now and then you come to mind
Cause you were always waiting to be picked to play the game
But when your name was called, you found a place to hide
When you knew that I was always on your side

Well everything was easy then, so sweet and innocent
But your demons and your angels reappeared
Leavin' all the traces of the man you thought you'd be
Leavin' me with no place left to go from here
Leavin' me so many questions all these years

But is there someplace far away, someplace where all is clear
Easy to start over with the ones you hold so dear
Or are you left to wonder, all alone, eternally
This isn't how it's really meant to be
No it isn't how it's really meant to be

Well they say that love is in the air, but never is it clear,
How to pull it close and make it stay
Butterflies are free to fly, and so they fly away
And I'm left to carry on and wonder why
Even through it all, I'm always on your side

But is there someplace far away, someplace where all is clear
Easy to start over with the ones you hold so dear
Or are we left to wonder, all alone, eternally
But is this how it's really meant to be
No is it how it's really meant to be

Well if they say that love is in the air, never is it clear
How to pull it close and make it stay
If butterflies are free to fly, why do they fly away
Leavin' me to carry on and wonder why
Was it you that kept me wondering through this life
When you know that I was always on your side