Freedom Fire & Music

I had a radio interview this week – and the host always wants to give out the website information and how to contact the guests they have on their show.

The interview was for a show I’ve had the honor of being on quite a few times now over the past two years. And in that moment at the end of the show, when they ask the guest to tell listeners how to contact you and where they can get information about what you are doing, I had a very uncomfortable feeling rise up in my chest.

I realized that not only am I bad at self-promotion, but I’m discouraged because the fire in my belly – the urgency to record Brushfires of Freedom (which appear on my Facebook page memories all the time now – from three years ago) – the urgency to write my books (written three years ago – and published in 2023) – and the driving need to launch Freedom Academy (five years ago) – is gone.

Lighting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men is what I felt compelled to do, but that fire in my belly apparently needs to be lit again. I just don’t have it anymore. And I barely feel like “me” without it.

My two largest financial supporters have passed away (one in 2022 and one just this year), my Freedom Faithful few never grew – and in fact, started shrinking (due to deaths and other life circumstances).

So this time (Friday, August 8), when the radio show host asked about everything I was doing – I surprised even myself by leaning into the music.

For the last two years, even while promoting my books, my heart’s been in the music. It is the music that has kept me going.

I look around at the world, and I feel like the end (not necessarily the apocalyptic end, but definitely the end of life as we know it) is just around the corner. Or rather, much closer. I feel like we are on the threshold of losing ourselves.

Not only has the concept of freedom been co-opted by every side to further an agenda that I’ve been speaking against for decades, but technology has positioned itself to steal all that remains of our humanity.

So… the music.

Singing is good for one’s physical and mental health.

And live music speaks to our humanity - our talents, abilities, giftings, creativity, adaptability, innovation, problem solving, story-telling, critical thinking, strategy, vision, connectivity, and so much more.

And performing sends a surge of all the feel-good hormones through my being.

And watching others enjoy the performance lights up every neuro-receptor throughout my nervous system to maximize the effects of the endorphins and adrenaline and serotonin and all the rest.

And engaging with the live music community – forging friendships and having deep conversations with other musicians – allows me to believe that I am still having a positive impact on the world through people whom I never would have met had we not leaned into the music.

When I’m singing or playing, I don’t feel like the boot is about to drop on my neck. When I’m singing or playing, I don’t feel like the world is going to end tomorrow. When I’m singing or playing (practice or performance), there is no room for regret, grief, doubt, fear, anxiety, anger, uncertainty, or obsessive thoughts.

(The Psalms make perfect sense!) (So do the commands to Worship and Sing!)

When I’m singing or playing, reality seems to change. I’m free. I’m happy. I’m truly ALIVE.

It is true that we are not promised tomorrow, and I could (in all actuality) be paralyzed from the neck down tomorrow – so while the “world” could “end” tomorrow – that is even more reason to seize the day TODAY.

To Live Free TODAY. To make someone else’s life better TODAY.

Because I was also recently reminded that it is not always obvious when someone is fighting off despair.

None of my attempts to light the brushfires of freedom in the hearts of men has gone the way I hoped it would.

My YouTube channel - The World According to Dorothy - Brushfires of Freedom - was dead before it even had a chance to live.

I didn't make any money on my books.

And Freedom Academy with Dorothy never really got off the ground - even though it was doing fairly brisk business for 4 years!

But I’m grateful to the 400 (or so) people – mostly strangers – who bought my books. And maybe one of them is the person I wrote them for. I’ll never know.

And not only did Freedom Academy give me the opportunity to engage with a small crowd on a regular basis - but it also gave me a platform from which to speak on radio shows in local markets across the United States. And maybe one of the listeners I’ll never know even listened was the one person I was meant to reach.

So…even though I haven’t blogged in a while, this random, out-of-the-blue post is your Freedom Reminder:

You have the freedom to make the world a better place, to make your life better, and to make someone else’s life better – TODAY.

So to recap: even though the world could end tomorrow, today is worth living - seizing - maximizing! And we have the freedom to do that!

And even though the fire in my belly - the urgency - is gone - I'm now living the principles I've been preaching.

I urge you to do the same.

Live Free. Keep the Faith.

And, if you can, support Live Music!