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There is a reason I never gave up. A reason I never will give up myhope, my dreams, my desire to live. The reason is people who care.Those who have shown their concern for me, and their wish for me tosucceed, to do the best I can do. They give me a reason to live.
A couple of those people are my parents. I thank my father for his(possibly unintentional) ability to make me rethink what I did, or woulddo. Is it good enough? Am I good enough? There are masters, there arelearners, and there are master learners. A real master never stopslearning. I am not a master. In subtle ways, again maybe not intentional,my father taught me this truth. I was the cocky punk know-it-all, but myfather kept me in check much of the time. He made me re-evaluatemyself, made me look deeper.
My mother always thought what I did was outstanding, including the littlemonster heads I used to make out of clay, complete with teeth. She wasamazed when I told her that I used a toothpick to put each tooth in. Theyhad eyes too. Sometimes a tongue.
I'd spend hours making those things. For what? God knows, maybe thattalent will come in handy someday. It certainly taught me patience, andhow to be thorough. That patience carried over to many other areas ofmy life, my music, finding my true
Still more of those people who made a difference are musicians andartists. Most of them care, and you can tell which ones. Even if they don'tknow who we are, they're talking to us through their music.
Rush, one of my all time favorite bands, has been a part of my life sincearound 1977. When I was about ten years old I was looking through mysisters record collection and discovered an album called "Rush -Archives". It was a re-release of the first three Rush albums. I washooked. The lyrics were positive, imaginative, and inspirational, and themusic was just so cool.
My uncle got tickets to Rush's "Hemispheres" tour in 1979 and broughtmy sister and I to the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey, to seethem live. I didn't know what that strange aroma was wafting around thetheatre, but the spectacle was incredible. Forevermore I would dream ofbeing a "rock star."
The words of Rush lyricist and drummer, Neil Peart, and the incrediblydynamic, and charged music of Rush led me down a path of music, anddiscovery. Through the years, the words and music of Rush helped tomold my character, and made me open my eyes to new things and greatpossibilities. A world of wonder was created for me. I would never lookat the world the same way again.
Rush also had these really cool album covers, and being an artist ofsorts I was drawn to the designs. I learned that a fellow named HughSyme was responsible for most of this wonderful art. His vision andtechnique inspired me, his designs seemed to connect with my innerPicaso and really influenced my art style. Today he still createsunbelievable imagery, a mix of photographic, digital and traditional arttechniques, and you can't see the separation. Now there is a master.
I thank these people, and others, who have helped to keep my eyestrained on the future, and the wonders of the world. The possibilities areendless. There is never any reason to stop, to just give up. Our lives willend on their own one day, don't rush it. Live now, see this world and thegreat things it has to offer. Live, and learn.
Rutanya Alda, actress and friend of my cousin Peter Bankers who is apublicist in New York, once told my friend Barry Manion and me to neverto give up on our dreams. She said "They can come true. Mine did."
Barry passed away at 27. He didn't make it, but I'm still here, and I'm stillpursuing my dream of being a professional musician. I carry a candle forBarry, and when I make it he will to.
There are people who care, and they know you're listening. I knowyou're listening, so listen. Don't give up.
Drew Vics, an artist, writer & musician from New Jersey, writes forMyeyez.net, and for other websites online.
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