For the Young
Dear friend,
I’ve excused myself from a dinner party at our home to write. Earlier, I was on a tube with Pablo, coming back from Camden. I was helping on a renovation he’s doing on a house near Camden Road station.
I’ve never seen a house stripped of its internal walls before. He’s opening up the space. You could see the plumbing and the wiring, all of the stuff we take for granted. It’s just there. You turn on a tap or light, rarely with a thought for the infrastructure that makes it all work. At least until it doesn’t.
I got back in time to say goodbye to Flynn, a young record producer who was staying with us while he works his craft down here. He’s from Sheffield.
We met through the community of people we feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of.
It’s community that strengthens us and holds us in connection. In connection, we are strong and we are safe to explore our gifts.
Flynn has grown up surrounded by artists and musicians. He’s been playing with some of Sheffield’s most accomplished musicians since he was in primary school. Sitting in on sessions. Leaning into it. Building his own studio.
Now he’s branching out and picking up projects further afield.
He’s nineteen.
Talented.
With an awesome personality.
Crystal bright.
As he left, he thanked us as if we were giving, when really we were simply basking in the delight of his company.
I guess it’s difficult for any of us to see ourselves through the eyes of our friends. Or you could say it’s difficult for us to recognize the true splendour of our being. And that’s okay. Maybe our self-doubts make us human.
For us, we were just sad to see him go and glad to be able to offer a safe base for a young talent to flourish. I like James Hillman’s acorn metaphor.
The whole oak is in the acorn.
It needs the earth and air and wind and the rain and the sunshine to grow into a mighty oak. There’s nothing to add. It’s all there, waiting to grow and express and bring forth more oaks.
I didn’t ever consider that I’d one day be in such a privileged position, to offer support and encouragement to younger people to go for what they want in life. The satisfaction and warm goodness of it just wasn’t available to me when I was younger and submerged in the clattering dissonance of my false self.
Sitting here amongst our guests’ coats in the front room, with the sounds of the dinner party booming and tinkling in the background, I couldn’t be happier.
I’ll go back and raise a glass to our young.
We owe it to ourselves to back them up.
The world they are sailing into is a world in transition.
It can be pretty rough sailing at times.
But we’re strong together.
These turbulent times demand of us that we show up for one another.
For young and not-so-young to stay youthful, hopeful, and compassionate.
The surface may be rough and choppy, but the depths are calm.
Our young people need us to believe in them and to be there for them when they lose sight of their own strength.
And to celebrate them.
Raise a glass to the young.
And the eternal youth in us.
We are one.
The oak in the acorn.
No matter.
We’ll never exhaust our potential.
However long we’ve been on earth.
We all have so much to give.
Till tomorrow
Love
Mikey