We have got the perfect life
One of my all-time favorite musical albums is Steven Wilson’s Hand. Cannot. Erase. Wilson’s music is what you would call “progressive rock”, which essentially means rock in mixed meters when you get right down to it.
The storyline of the album is loosely based on the tragic story of a young woman named Joyce Vincent who passed away in her London apartment in 2003, but no one ever knew about it for 2+ years. Joyce was young, popular, had a job, family and friends, etc. but became detached. People close to her just assumed she didn’t want to see them, and they evidently made no special effort to make contact. Her bills were on autopay, so there she sat decomposing for 2+ years until her apartment management repossessed her unit, where her body was discovered.
The moral of the story is perhaps to be grateful for what we have, to be diligent when someone close to us withdraws from society.
One of the tracks on Wilson’s album is called Perfect Life. The main character, a young female, tells the story of how her family took in a foster child for a few months. The two were inseparable during that period of time, perhaps because they find a common bond through isolation, albeit for different reasons. Then, as happens in such situations, the foster child abruptly leaves and the main character is once again alone.
They didn’t have any cares in the world; only how they would spend the next day together.
For just a few months, the two of them had a perfect life.
We’ve just begun a new calendar year. If we put our focus on the news of the world the previous year, we see this world is not perfect. It’s as flawed as it’s ever been. But when we focus on things that really matter, we realize we have got the perfect life.
I’ll give you a few examples of my own perfect life.
I spent this past weekend driving from Minnesota to Virginia Beach and back after a beautiful visit with my son Gabriel. Gabriel has seen a few things that most kids his age don’t see; but his optimism in spite of everything inspires me to press forward and choose to see the good in things, and overlook the bad.
On the way home to Minnesota (it’s a 17 hour drive each way), I thought about being with my wife Sana. After a lengthy delay getting her visa to live in the U.S., we’ve experienced some challenges we didn’t foresee. But Sana keeps a positive attitude, never ceasing to make fun of me – and instigating the same from Gabriel. Those two have a wonderful relationship, and just a few moments watching them together makes me forget about all the hardships and frustrations we’ve endured.
It’s perfect, if but for a moment.
My father also inspires me. He is showing incredible bravery and optimism while enduring a trial of the will that would make most of us fold. I’ll share more about that in the near future.
I’m grateful for growing bonds with family in and out of the area; for loyal clients who motivate me to continue producing content more than they realize; for readers of this newsletter who have shown kindness and support this past year.
It’s a lonely business I’ve chosen, but I choose not to think about that.
To do so would be imperfect, ha ha.
If you would like to reply to this email and share some things that make your life perfect, I’d be happy to read them and reply. However, I do want you to think about how your own life is perfect. Yes, it’s an imperfect world. But think about one thing that is perfect – if only for a brief moment.
2023 was a year of clarity for Sana and me. 2024 will be a time of putting feet under our faith and making amazing things happen.
I’m grateful you’re a part of it.