Pillars of a Storied Soul

When the Cog in the Machine is a Pillar

I lost my password. Couldn't update my blog to save a kitten in a tree. Then, I finished my associate in arts degree, and with it came the knowledge... of where I put said password. Much has happened between the silences of the posted blogs. I found that I was losing my figurative voice, my musical soul that I expressed through music. I played my heart out, but each time I played, my injuries prevented advancement and only promoted a downward spiral. Thankfully, with the guidance of a cadre of excellent English professors at Clark College, I found a new voice that was no longer a hobby, but a passion. Helping my crippled soul along through my darkest hours.

In the Navy, I was fortunate enough to meet a Rabi, by the name of Kevin S. Bemel, that that took the time to listen to me complain and become a mentor to me, even though I wasn't Jewish. Rabs spoke often at quarters and in private about the importance of, what he called, the "three pillars of attainment: Mental, Physical, and Spiritual. It really resonated with me then, through the tough times, through my separation, the doctors, the healing. Anytime I felt a pillar fall, the other pillars were still there reminding me not to give up.

When my son, Kaedin, died, though, I felt like the whole house fell down, pillars and all. It was a phone call from Dr. Funk at Clark that saved my life encouraging me to go ahead and apply. I started as a music major, and even though I was not able to keep up with the studies and memorization due to my TBI, I never stopped playing and singing, even after transitioning to creative writing. I even wrote a song for sax quartet, titled "Sunflower in the Snow," that was premiered at the Spring concert. The writing helped me finally deal with and start to overcome my grief. My pillars were finally being rebuilt.

We see the pillars example in so many different disciplines that the popular trope borders on being cliché. I recently witnessed a short lecture by Brad Sanderson as he explained his three pillars to a good story, that being character, plot, and setting with conflict being the glue that holds the story together and drives it forward. There are the six pillars of leadership, five pillars of Islam, four pillars to a happy marriage, and the aforementioned three pillars of attainment that will all come up with a little time spent with Mr. Google. One thing you rarely see is two pillars to success or a single pillar to victory, even though some of us do elevate others atop a pedestal a little too much. The point being, pillars are important, easy to understand, strong, and can be made to support anything important to one's psyche.

If a pillar falters, the others stand until you can build back that fallen pillar. If your Parthenon collapses, if your world implodes, if your child dies, do not give up. Find that one thing that can spark your soul and help rebuild your pillars. It's not always a straight path, sometimes there will be a detour or two, but the journey, the adventure is worth it and important. To honor those that we lost by not giving up.

Check out (903) The WAY to WOW Shows - YouTube by Kevin S. Bemel