“If you don’t need their rewards, you do not have to play by their rules.”
Nathan Johnson in Broke*, a documentary by Will Gray about artists and the music industry.
I have spent the last year wrongly attributing this quote to Seth Godin, who also appears in Broke*.
Johnson is speaking about money and luxury within the music industry, but I find the quote wide ranging and helpful. I often feel external pressure to be something, feel something, or act in a certain manner. No matter who “they” are in a particular moment, should I feel their pressure at this moment? I find freedom when I am able to remind myself not to unnecessarily submit myself to the rules of “they.”
My dear friend, Will Gray, made a documentary about artists and the music industry called Broke*. Broke* was released today on iTunes. Within the next few weeks, it will be available on Comcast, Verizon FIOS, and DirecTV, as well as available for rent/purchase on Amazon, Google Play, Vudu and Xbox.
My wife and I watched Broke* together tonight. It is an excellent story, an powerful collection of interviews, and an entertaining collection of music. If you are an artist or enjoy art, I commend Broke* to you.
My dear friend, Will Gray, is fighting cancer and fighting for his life. Here is a reflection I wrote today for #GoTeamGray while visiting him in L.A.
The Quiet Days Are the Hardest…
…at least for me.
Quiet days are the ones when Will mostly rests and there is little interaction except for eating and taking medicine. The last few days have been quiet days.
These days are hard because we do not know what it all means. We do not know what is going on with Will’s body while he rests. We know that allowing him the needed rest is the right thing to do. So, in the words of Will, we do the next right thing. We give him space to rest. We cut vegetables and juice for his next meal. We pray. We hope. We wait. We prepare for tomorrow.
Every day with Will, even a quiet one, is a blessing. Lord, thank you for these last few days. Please give us tomorrow with him, then another tomorrow, another tomorrow, and another…
Friends, thank you praying and seeking the latest news on Will. If the blog goes quiet for a few days, you can assume they have been quiet days. You can assume that Will is resting while he continues the fight. Please keep praying with all your might and faith that God will heal William.
My dear friend, Will Gray, is fighting cancer and fighting for his life. Here is a reflection I wrote today for #GoTeamGray while visiting him in L.A.
The last few days have been busy and fast-paced for Will and Angie. They have been able to leave the hospital, attend church on Easter Sunday, and spend time with large number of friends and family. Most importantly, they have continued to fight. Fighting for life. Fighting against cancer. There is no quit in Will and Angie.
I am one of those friends descending on Will and Angie’s apartment. One of many for sure. None of us knew what to expect when we arrived in L.A. We all came to see our friend, share our love with him, and serve in any way we could. Last week’s pictures and updates from the hospital (which were all true and accurate) left us expecting little. We hoped to gain a short, quiet few minutes with Will and Angie before yielding our space beside his bed to the next person. So, we all gathered in the waiting room (beside the pool at Will’s apartment) and waited our turn in line. I believe I was #11.
So, you can imagine our surprise and elation when Will decided to come outside and turn the waiting room into a party. We were able to sit, laugh, tell stories, and feel almost normal. I personally did not know most of the people around the table. So, I sat quietly and mostly listened. What I observed was joy. Will was happy. Will was having a good time. Will enjoyed about 90 minutes around a pool in the middle of L.A., but it felt like so much more. It felt like (insert your favorite Will Gray memory here) …
I was elated to be part of Will finding joy in his long, continuing fight. None of us knows what this means for Will and Angie. Questions still abound. Is God going to heal Will? How much longer will the fight continue? Will is still very sick with limited energy and a tired body.
For now, I am thankful that Will found a moment of joy. Let’s pray and fight for many more days like this one!
I have spent the last year wrongly attributing this quote to Seth Godin, who also appears in Broke*.