Live, Learn, Laugh, and Love

On the first day of 2020, I was inspired to write a song. I’ve written quite a few, but something about that one challenged me to be a little more deliberate, so I decided to write a new song every month. The last song of the year was called “Live, Learn, Laugh, and Love”.
Also in that month, I had written a poem about the power of four and how it has contributed to my theory on ABC Squared Economics. One of the aspects of it was drawn from Stephen Covey, the author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. It was his contention that every human has four goals in life: to live, to learn, to love, and to leave a legacy. I adapted the idea for the song, but I swapped leaving a legacy with laughter, largely because I think laughter is a very good legacy and basically, it just sounds better.
Many years ago, when I was diagnosed with a neurological affliction, I found myself somewhat grateful for not being able to fit in well to my society. After all, Krishnamurti said that it was no measure of health to be able to be well adjusted in a profoundly sick society, and although the society does have many merits, with its addictions, mental disorders, pollutions, insatiable hunger for endless economic growth, and divisive political system, I certainly wouldn’t call it healthy. Since then, I have realized the greatest joys in life by living simply and having gratitude for the ability to live, to learn, to laugh, and to love.
Celeste Dorage has produced an incredible version of this song, and I will be releasing it soon. It features her on saxophone and my nephew Kyle contributing lead guitar and bass. But I also really enjoy playing it live, and it was a real treat to get to share it with a Nashville audience by playing it on my birthday at The Sutler Saloon.