I have never made it a secret that I like all kinds of music. To walk into a CD store and buy something new can be fun. One of these trips over this Christmas made me start thinking about how we look at human potential. I know what you are thinking. How could a simple walk into a CD store get that thought brewing? Well, walk with me and find out.
Since this occurred over Christmas, I picked up a specially package Jeff Buckley collection. Actually it was a studio and live CD. For those you do not know Jeff Buckley passed away after his first and only CD made in a studio. I was looking at this CD and then started thinking about how many times an artist has passed on and we hear how the person was never going to be given the opportunity to reach their potential. Let us think about that for a second. What if what the person gave us was all they were suppose to give us?
Most of the artists that have passed along during the years, early in their careers may have hit their peak when we discovered them. The list goes on and on; Jimi Hendrix, Gram Parsons, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and Jeff Buckley. What if their creations that were given to us as time went on were not anywhere close to what they already had? This has happened to many people that we listen to every day. That list would include Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Bon Jovi and Pearl Jam to list a few. So really we do not know what may or may not have happened if artists that have left us would have been the genius they portrayed themselves to be.
Now, let us take this one step further. Losses in each person’s life happen every day. Naturally, we mourn those people who have left us and do this for years. Deep down we are celebrating what each person has given to us such as memories and impact. Do we ever say that they did not reach their potential? We hold on to everything that one person gave us and thank them. The memories we have for those that are close to we are unselfish and we appreciate all of it. These people are the ones we know and love.
This is something to think about. As well as this, why do we celebrate and cherish our loved ones but want more from people we do not know and the only effect they had on us were some songs? Especially, when we know that they have families that have to feel what they have lost.
I understand what you are saying. In light of your argument on this, or theory, it is easy sometimes to idolize the tragedy of loosing someone "too early" Look at James Dean, an icon now, his movies, sexy but not yet a seasoned actor. Chances are he would have gotten better with age. But, who really knows right? Still... the morning of the passing of such potential... How many more poems would Keats have written had he not died so young? I personally mourn the loss of a brilliant and poetic mind and the poems that were never written, words I will never know... I weep at this though. Right or wrong I am selfishly in love with the tragedy of it.
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