Disappointment & Opportunity Wasted

Well, I have to tell you, I am SO disappointed in myself. When I hear the term “follow your dreams,” I nod and acknowledge that I have a big dream to be a songwriter. I have written a few songs and lyrics for a musical based upon the Bible story of Ruth. My youngest (the musician) and I even submitted one to the American Idol song contest a couple of years ago (of course, we submitted in the last 10 minutes of the contest which was probably why it didn’t win).

Anyway, yesterday, I was in the perfect place with the perfect surroundings and had the perfect opportunity to write a song—one that would be enjoyed by thousands or millions and sung for many years to come. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will most assuredly never ever again present itself. It was perfect and I was ready.

I was sitting on the campus of Belmont University on a street in Nashville, Tennessee (hours away from the small town where I live). There was no one around to distract me. The sun was shining, and a gentle breeze was blowing. I was ready. I had my notepad, my pen, and an intense desire to create. How many songs have been written on a street in Nashville? Thousands? Millions, maybe? So I was ready.

My program had taken a group of kids on a field trip to Nashville in a tour bus, and they were all off touring the university where so many famous people have graduated. This was my time! This was my gift. I was about to join the ranks of scores of other Nashville songwriters to have a song written in Music City. I was ready.

I could almost burst into the song that our youngest sang at a state talent competition from the musical, Jeckyll and Hyde,

♫ “This is the moment! This is the day,
When I send all my doubts and demons
On their way!
Every endeavor, I have made - ever -
Is coming into play,
Is here and now - today!

This is the moment, This is the time,
When the momentum and the moment
Are in rhyme!

Give me this moment
This precious chance
I'll gather up my past
And make some sense at last!

This is the moment, When all I've done -
All the dreaming, Scheming and screaming, become one!
This is the day - See it sparkle and shine,
When all I've lived for becomes mine!

This is the moment - My final test -
Destiny beckoned, I never reckoned second best!
When I look back, I will always recall,
Moment for moment,
This was the moment,
The greatest moment Of them all!”

Wow, what a great song!! Now it was my turn; I was ready. I tapped my pen on the notepad and began to write. I stopped, tapped my pen again, and waited. NOTHING! I GOT NOTHING! I jotted down a few words, crossed them out, jotted again, changed a word here and there, tore out the page, and tossed it.

For some time I sat there, pen in hand, READY. And I sat. And tapped. And sat. And tapped. As I look at the words of the song above, this was not the moment.