Relax deeply and open your inner eye and inner ear. Slowly roll back into time and step into a window, a prism of the hologram of your life. Whatever scene comes to mind. Feel it, see it, smell it, touch it and most of all, hear it.  What do you hear – jazz, blues, gospel, soul or maybe, some good ole rock and roll? Classical, country, reggae or Latin. Solid gold oldies or holiday tunes sung by a choir. Music from the movies or your favorite childhood play. You are the troubadour. What songs tell your story on this ship called MY LIFE?
Breathe in and allow yourself to be carried into the memories – set the stage and hear the songs that bring back happy times, sad times, special times. Songs that conjure images of folks long gone or the songs of other worlds where you travel – the world of work, school, pleasure, family, church, community. Songs of your ancestors in this land or others. .. songs of your dreams.  Stop, remember and listen to the soundtrack of your life. Be with it. . . in your mind’s eye and your mind’s ear recall – what are the memories, the images, the impressions you are receiving? What is the music of your life?
Was there a favorite hymn in church or a song you heard mama sing as she stood at the kitchen sink washing dishes or as you sat in the floor between her legs as she braided your hair? Remember those songs where everybody knew the words or made up words they didn’t know? The songs where you grabbed the wooden spoon, hairbrush or soda bottle – singing loudly into your “microphone” your favorite song of the day!
What lullabies did you hear as a child or sing to your own children? What was the music for your dance or instrumental recital? The songs from elementary, junior high and high school – the class songs, glee club songs, or the one hit wonders from the boy groups and girl groups of the day. What are the Motown songs, the civil rights, freedom and peace songs of your day?
There is the song you always wanted to sing in a club or at the family reunion’s talent show.  Remember that special song you sang to a loved one that you want them to always remember you by. . .   What was playing on the record player during that first kiss or when you knew THE END was near.
What music do you move to? What was the music for your dance recital? What songs did you dance with your parents, children or beloved? What song would you play if you could dance with your father or mother again?  What is your favorite meditation, yoga, tai chi or chi gong music? What is the music that you work to, love to, play to or that special song that has you leaping across the living room floor . . . ?
Are there words that you have longed to recite – words which rest on your heart or linger in your mind? Is there an apology or an expression of gratitude you long to offer to some special someone in your life? Are there words you would like share at your final rites of passage? Your words that will be remembered and can be replayed over and over again long after you are gone. Is there a poem or a reading that speaks your truth so eloquently it is as if you had written it . . .
Legacy is that you leave behind. . What is your legacy?  Whose lives do you want to touch and how. . . what do you want to say creatively to describe your mission, your culture, your religion, your family, your philosophy and your work? Is there someone you wish to forgive or ask forgiveness? Someone you want to thank for allowing you to be yourself – again and again and again? That betcha, by golly, wow someone who you want tell is the one you’ve been waiting for forever?
Many of us have heard of the famous poem – The Dash written by Linda Ellis. We get to reflect on our dash and revamp and revise. Following is an excerpt from this powerful poem:
I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning to the end.
He noted that first came the date of birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own;
the cars…the house…the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.
So when your eulogy’s being read
with your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent your dash?
Join Baye Services the Sunday November 21 and Sat and Sun November 27 & 28 (Thanksgiving weekend) as we s-t-r-e-t-c-h and use our minds, our bodies, our voices to document a unique performance piece to be shared with others. Create a legacy DVD – a tribute to you by you. Give this as a special holiday gift to family and friends. Leave it in your files for use during your final rites of passage. With Baye Services begin to capture and catalog your unique dash! Have your say with songs in the key of your life.
Contact Kathy at 202-986-1837 or kenglishholt@msn.com or senghor at 202-256-2518 or senghorb@hotmail.com to register or further information. See www.kathyenglishholt.com for schedule and Paypal.