Fortissimo

I've doing a lot of composing lately, and one of the songs I'm working on is called, "Live Outloud." And how I've been inspired to do just that.

I'm in the process of figuring out the music, but here are the lyrics:

Long ago I thought I lost my faith
Wandering alone through the dark I’d wait
Wondered if my life was just a big mistake
Until the day I shed my fear

Now that I’ve taken what you said to heart
Now your words have made a fire start
Of the sum and the whole I am just one part
But your love has brought me here

Because you make me wanna shine my light
Opened my eyes to what’s true and what’s right
By your side I’m gonna stand and fight
And rise above the crowd

The moment that you said my name
Was all it took to set my soul aflame
And this world will never be the same
I’m gonna live outloud
Live my life outloud
Live it right outloud

We are hand in hand, and face to face
Stepping from the night to a state of grace
Putting all my doubts in the proper place
Seizing every single day

Let it pave a road, let it part the sea
Let it break the walls, set the people free
Let it build a bridge to destiny

Love will always find a way

Yeah, you make me wanna shine my light
Opened my eyes to what’s true and what’s right
By your side I’m gonna stand and fight
And rise above the crowd

The moment that you said my name
Was all it took to set my soul aflame
And this world will never be the same
I’m gonna live outloud
Live my life outloud
Live it right outloud

Yesterday, my daughter accompanied me to TC and we spent some time with Michael and Marilyn. We played with Mama Ella and her five kittens - even contemplated adopting one. After another impromptu jam session with Michael, I resolved to give Julia a crash course in music history, starting with the Beatles.

Behind the walls of a makeshift cage was a small rooster. Knowing little about chicken behavior, I thought he was either missing a leg, or rehearsing for a Captain Morgan commercial.

Come to find out, he was just trying to look tough to another rooster, who'd approached the wire mesh and started antagonizing him. And although he was not missing a leg, he was indeed disabled: they rescued him after he'd nearly been pecked to death in the woods. The miracle bird's name? Fortissimo.

Which in musical terminology, means "in a very loud manner."

Which means, my latest composition is hereby dedicated to a sweet-tempered, blind rooster. :-)