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There is a reason I never gave up. A reason I never will give up my hope, my dreams, my desire to live. The reason is people who care. Those who have shown their concern for me, and their wish for me to succeed, to do the best I can do. They give me a reason to live.
A couple of those people are my parents. I thank my father for his (possibly unintentional) ability to make me rethink what I did, or would do. Is it good enough? Am I good enough? There are masters, there are learners, and there are master learners. A real master never stops learning. I am not a master. In subtle ways, again maybe not intentional, my father taught me this truth. I was the cocky punk know-it-all, but my father kept me in check much of the time. He made me re-evaluate myself, made me look deeper.
My mother always thought what I did was outstanding, including the little monster heads I used to make out of clay, complete with teeth. She was amazed when I told her that I used a toothpick to put each tooth in. They had eyes too. Sometimes a tongue.
I'd spend hours making those things. For what? God knows, maybe that talent will come in handy someday. It certainly taught me patience, and how to be thorough. That patience carried over to many other areas of my life, my music, finding my true love, and other goals. I thank my mother for her encouragement and love. She is certainly one of the many people who kept me from giving up.
Still more of those people who made a difference are musicians and artists. Most of them care, and you can tell which ones. Even if they don't know who we are, they're talking to us through their music.
Rush, one of my all time favorite bands, has been a part of my life since around 1977. When I was about ten years old I was looking through my sisters record collection and discovered an album called "Rush - Archives". It was a re-release of the first three Rush albums. I was hooked. The lyrics were positive, imaginative, and inspirational, and the music was just so cool.
My uncle got tickets to Rush's "Hemispheres" tour in 1979 and brought my sister and I to the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey, to see them live. I didn't know what that strange aroma was wafting around the theatre, but the spectacle was incredible. Forevermore I would dream of being a "rock star."
The words of Rush lyricist and drummer, Neil Peart, and the incredibly dynamic, and charged music of Rush led me down a path of music, and discovery. Through the years, the words and music of Rush helped to mold my character, and made me open my eyes to new things and great possibilities. A world of wonder was created for me. I would never look at the world the same way again.
Rush also had these really cool album covers, and being an artist of sorts I was drawn to the designs. I learned that a fellow named Hugh Syme was responsible for most of this wonderful art. His vision and technique inspired me, his designs seemed to connect with my inner Picaso and really influenced my art style. Today he still creates unbelievable imagery, a mix of photographic, digital and traditional art techniques, and you can't see the separation. Now there's a master.
I thank these people, and others, who have helped to keep my eyes trained on the future, and the wonders of the world. The possibilities are endless. There is never any reason to stop, to just give up. Our lives will end on their own one day, don't rush it. Live now, see this world and the great things it has to offer. Live, and learn.
Rutanya Alda, actress and friend of my cousin Peter Bankers who is a publicist in New York, once told my friend Barry Manion and me to never to give up on our dreams. She said "They can come true. Mine did."
Barry passed away at 27. He didn't make it, but I'm still here, and I'm still pursuing my dream of being a professional musician. I carry a candle for Barry, and when I make it he will to.
There are people who care, and they know you're listening. I know you're listening, so listen. Don't give up.
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