I took my daughter out of school on Friday to see Willie Nelson at Alpine Valley. Education comes in all forms, right?
Willie Nelson is one of my earliest and most positive living role models. I’ve seen him several times. He’s 93 years-old today. He doesn’t need to play for money anymore. And he surely doesn’t need to play for fame.
But it’s clear: he needs to play for himself.
Willie “retired” several decades ago, but I guess it didn’t stick. And I’m glad for our sakes that it didn’t. Willie’s voice and perspective have always been uniquely his own, and his songs still resonate with me. To this day, I can’t make it through “Always On My Mind” without getting misty-eyed.
Reader, my favorite part about Willie is how he made music that felt true to him, and he found his place on the planet by following his calling. He worked with what he had (rumor has it that he wrote “On The Road Again” on the back of a barf bag), and he let his heart lead the way. He inspires me to keep going at all costs, and to break the rules a little, for art-sake. Wishing you a heart-centered scrappy week, and I’ll see you next Monday. -Em
