"Let that image just sink into your heart... Then open your eyes and just draw. The magic symbol will come out by itself." She paused, let in a deep grounding breath when I saw the light in her just 'flick' on. A loving smile caressed her face as her eyes opened, then she started to draw. The three of us were standing in a trailer owned by her boss, friend, and one hell of a tattoo artist. Situated in a secret trailer park in SoCo: Austin, TX.
Daniel was instructing us on magic symbols, and both of us were giving them a shot. Hers though... Just 'felt' different. She smiled again after finishing it, saying only, "Love and Gratitude" to our small gathering. And over the following weeks, she would draw it out again and again. On desks, in her room, on the register at the bar we were playing at.
Today's story is about a distant part of my life, and what I learned from her.
The band was an incredible part of my life, a chapter that closed back in 2010. A great time, and one that was abound with adventure. I credit a lot of my successes here in Los Angeles with the guided teachings of her off-the-wall outside-of-the-box skill set that really allowed the band to thrive. Was I crushed when the band and I parted ways? Of course, but as long as you take your 'lessons learned' with you, you'll always continue to be a better version of yourself. Right?
Life in the arts is hard. And if you take what is a life lesson, but call it a failure, you won't get anywhere. But take as a lesson, and there's no other place but up. Up towards another story, another adventure. Life keeps thriving, never ending. Choose love always. Be a beacon of gratitude for whatever life provides, whether it's some brief pain or a wonderful joyous night.
Out of all the lessons I learned from her, this was the most important. The tattoo above (on a wonderful soul out in San Antonio) a symbol of just that...
With love and gratitude,
--Paul Jacob Evans