Signs at the Crossroads of Fear & Courage

 Signs at the Crossroads of Fear & Courage                            by: Lisa Morgan

Signs are supposed to guide us in the right direction. Signs can also be misleading, humorous or deceiving. Navigating a road to success can be complicated especially when you have misinformation guiding your path. Allowing fear to guide you cause you to be lost down a road of isolation coming to an intersection at the crossroad of fear & courage. When what you fear makes you angry, take that passion from the anger & transform into courage. Fear is a powerful weapon that an enemy can use to subdue you. You can also allow fear to hold you down in chains, when all you have to do to free yourself from the chains is to gain knowledge. Knowledge will break chains that bind you. You must be careful of where you obtain the knowledge for sometimes wickedness will fool you into thinking you are filled with knowledge & wisdom, when in fact you are pumped up with arrogance, pride & ignorance. Allow that which you fear to encourage you to have courage. The courage can then be used for good to defeat, whatever caused the fear. Be a person of great courage & not of anger or fear. Also remember that which you fear might not be so frightful if you research what it is that you fear. Inform yourself with knowledge not hearsay, but truth. The truth may open your eyes to see that which you feared may not deserve the fear, for there is nothing to fear.

A wise person knows knowledge is a powerful tool. The first key to wisdom is to revere the Lord God & from there you can start paving your pathway to wisdom. Acknowledging that you are not the center of this vast universe is key to being a wise person. Humbling yourself is not a bad thing but an empowering thing., You see if you put things in perspective realizing how insignificant you are as an individual among all the creations God has created, then you are humbled, thus you can out your pride aside & hear God, wherein comes the beginning of wisdom. Sit on top of a mountain & look out at the valley below or rest your weary bones onto a secluded beach to gaze out upon the ocean, then if you should feel how small you actually are in the scheme of things. Those who think they are on top of the world have a hard day of reckoning coming, when they realize that world that sat upon was nothing but a spinning wheel. Spinning wheels blowout from time to time leaving you stranded. Be aware of those who speak of everything you want to hear, that tickle your ears with sweet nothings, because that is exactly what they speak of...nothing.

If you have ever felt helpless in a situation, where you could not help someone or save someone, then you know how powerless we as human actually are despite all of our arrogance. I will say that prayer helps me.  Everyone walks their own path in life. Sometimes we choose the difficult road that is winding with treacherous cliffs leading to dead ends, even though there was a straight path ahead which was a much easier path; it appeared to be boring, thus the more exciting path was chosen. The truth is even a straight & narrow roadway will have crossroads. The crossroads we face will all have consequences regardless of the choice & these are the lessons we learn from. If you are lucky to live long enough, you realize to learn from the mistakes of others, so you don't have to make those same mistakes yourself. When you waste time making mistakes that others before you have repeatedly made then you are being a fool. Life does not give us refunds on wasted time.

Dreams are a funny thing. Dreams can be a driving force or a nightmare. Dreams can become illusions or be prophetic. Dreams leading to aspirations, believing that you can achieve, achieving goals through hard work & seeing the fruits of your labor flourish is the reward you reap. Likewise if your dreams are lined with greed, envy, jealousy, sloth (laziness), pride; then inevitably what you have sown will be a crop of malcontent, anger, deceit more of the aforementioned greed, jealousy, sloth & pride. The viscous cycle of jealousy, anger, pride, sloth only lead to a nightmare negating any rest or peaceful dreams. Dare to dream but enact wisdom, courage, hard work to see those dreams come to fruition.

A garden does not flourish without being tended to with care. Briers, weeds or tares will suck the life out of everything they touch. You must be mindful to remove the briers, weeds/tares from your garden, otherwise you will have a brier patch. Briers & weeds always attach themselves closely to the living things around them to disguise themselves. Make sure your "Garden of Eden" is not transformed into a "Garden of Weeden", through fear, laziness, ignorance & deceit.

 I wanted to add one more tidbit of wisdom before I finish this post, be mindful not to post your Google Search to your Facebook status. The world may not be ready to know that much about you. Rest assured your next visit to church, the local watering hole or family gathering might never be the same, if you do make that mistake. Never look to me for wisdom, as I am constantly learning myself. I merely offer up life experiences, after making my own mistakes; you can do with the information what you will. Choice is a beautiful thing. Freedom is a powerful thing. When you combine knowledge, truth, choice & freedom, you have a fundamental cornerstone for building a foundation. America was founded in such a way. Let freedom ring, while never forgetting freedom is not free, there is always a cost to anything & everything in life, remember those crossroads I spoke of earlier, they come into play with choice. Here's to hoping each one of you has an interesting journey on your road to wisdom, keeping your eyes & ears open for truth.

Thank you for spending your time to read my post,
Lisa Morgan
Author of Get Beach Slapped, the reality check book.
#GetBeachSlapped #wisdom #quote #life #saltlife #freedom #dreams

Saying Goodbye to Butch Trucks: A Truck Full of Soul

Saying Goodbye to Butch Trucks: A Truck Full of Soul                      written by: Lisa Morgan

                     (The one & only Claude "Butch" Trucks, Allman brother drummer)

My all time favorite band hands down is the Allman Brothers band. I was 6 years old when their first album was released in 1969. I remember my cousin listening to the Allman Brothers vinyl LP, while she had her door closed to keep me & her younger sister out of her sanctuary. My uncle was playing the Allman brothers, while working under the hood of any number of classic autos such as a Mustang, Camaro  or a Corvette; thus my affinity for classic cars, my first car being a 1969 candy apple red Camaro SS. My late dad was a guitarist & singer who listened to old school country, blues & bluegrass music. My daddy loved his fat bottom 1960 Les Paul Gibson guitar. My mom listened to Elvis rock-a-billy, Lil' Richard country & gospel. She loved to listen to 8 tracks, while driving with my siblings & myself in tow, but my mom can not carry a tune in a bucket. Think of Lucille Ball singing & that was my Mom, who loved to sing but did not have any pitch. My dad used to have me sing Merle Haggard with him,while he played his guitar & I was maybe 7 or 8 at the time. I am no singer or musician. If only talent rubbed off on you like a black cat's fur when you're wearing all white.  I have slept beside my musician husband for 32 yrs. & believe me musical talent or vocal ability does not rub off. One of the funniest things to me is when people realize I'm married to a musician & they ask,"Oh really, do you sing or play an instrument?" I always think the same the same thing & then reply," No honey just because I sleep with a musician, it doesn't mean it rubs off." My friend Michelle, whose deceased husband Jim, was a great guitar player & singer, agreed with me on this note. Funny how people assume talent rubs off, well believe it does not (giggling). Appreciation for talent is the result of being around someone with talent.

My dad was in a band when I was born. My mom said I would sleep all day & listen to the band rehearse, while I was an infant. Apparently the music soothed me. Oddly I would spend my entire life staying up late nights listening to music & for many years my husband's bands would rehearse for hours at our house. My dad's sax player was the late Sonny Royal, whom I was told was an excellent sax player. Sonny died a few years later from a brain aneurysm. Naturally being around music since birth, I married a bass player/vocalist. My husband Sol is a versatile bass player with a bluesy voice & the fact that he had a strong resemblance to Gregg Allman, was a no brainer. Sol's older twin brothers were huge Allman brothers fans, like most guys their age, so Sol was exposed to the iconic sounds of the Allman Brothers at a young age. Sol once told me that during the late seventies when he was a teenager, on the road with his brothers' band, that they were staying at a hotel in Biloxi, Mississippi, where the Allman Brothers, Doctor Hook were also staying. The bands were getting rowdy, partying a bit too much & many of the guys in those bands were arrested, for throwing furniture in the hotel pool. The life of a musician is neither glamorous, to be envied nor without much costs. The road musicians travel is a road of excess, addiction, groupies, soul searching, passions, inner sanctum, hardships, blissful moments unsurpassed on stage & brawls from hell. Never think that the life of a musician is without consequence, there is always a price to pay.

My husband's brothers were co owners in a recording studio for a period of time with the late Butch Trucks, who recently passed away from a self inflicted gunshot wound. If for some reason you have never had the privilege of hearing Butch Trucks play drums, then by all means do your soul a favor & listen to the Allman Brothers band. Butch was a founding member of the iconic soulful, bluesy, southern rock band, which shaped generations of musicians, with their unorthodox lineup of using two drummers. The Allman Bothers band molded my perception of music & forever spoiled me. I became somewhat of a music snob, this is what I call my husband, a music snob. Not just any 3 chord tune will do or any D. J. scratching records will ever compare to real musicians & vocalists. Either music has feel or it doesn't. You either have musical talent or you don't...period. Butch Trucks had the feel & the talent, by the truck full. A bullet silenced his life, but did not silence the music he created with his band of brothers "The Allman Brothers Band". If you know someone who is depressed please take time to listen to them, they may be reaching out for help & more depressed than you know. Depression has a way of enveloping a person. It is a complicated issue, one that can kill if left untreated. Search for your soulshine to combat depression.

Soulshine by the Allman Brothers band: https://youtu.be/pDIQ7Otf1mw

My husband's former drummer Tommy (Grammy winner from Asleep at the Wheel), once said that "nobody played a shuffle like Butch Trucks". Every musician I've ever met that has "feel" & knows "feel" agrees, that Butch Trucks was synonymous with "feel & locking it in the pocket". The two drummers for the Allman Brothers band Jamoie  & Trucks were the  backbone that meshed with Berry Oakley's bass licks driving the groove of the band; while Gregg's soulful voice melded with his enticing Hammond B3 melodies; urging your soul to stay & slowly groove a while. Duane's blues guitar spoke to the essence of your core & Dickey Betts signature riffs made the term "Southern Rock" what it would be known for. No other band melded blues, rock, gospel, country & jazz together, the way the Allman Brother band had done. They will always be synonymous with the Southern Rock sound, which I call Southern Soul.  No drummer alive today who can play a shuffle or put the beat in the pocket, does not respect the way Butch Trucks hit the skins on stage. The attitude of "give it everything you've got" drove Butch Trucks to perform for his fans, the only way he knew how, with all of his heart & soul.

I was listening to the Allman Brothers music the day before Butch tragically died. While I listened to two albums, I noticed how ironic it was that such a young group of musicians, in the late 1960's early 1970's would write lyrics, which their lives would mirror, as tragedy would befall this motley bunch of gypsies. They are the only ones who knew, what it was like to loose their band mate Duane, at such a young age & be damned determined to make sure the world never forgot, that while Duane walked this earth for a mere 24 years, he left a lasting impression on countless lives. Berry Oakley followed Duane a year later to the grave. I would be very remiss, if I did not acknowledge the impression Butch Trucks has made on countless people worldwide. The Allman Brothers band has seen me through some good times, late night revelries & some depressing times, all the while bringing peace & joy. The music of the Allman Brothers shaped the musical landscape, like a rushing river can carve out canyons, they have left their mark on music. The legacy of the Allman Brothers Band will be one forged from heart, soul, tragedy, grief, addiction, survival; all of which are heard in the blues, gospel, country, jazz influenced songs they recorded.

I suppose we will never know what Butch was thinking right before he passed away. My husband's former band mate also took his own life, with a bullet to the head & his wife my best friend found him, so I understand the pain the family feels. Sometimes the demons one suppresses will grow stronger, if they are not bound up & sent back to hell, where they belong. Addiction is a self imposed whipping post. You have to conquer it or it will consume you. Musicians are particularly susceptible to addictions, as they are basically assaulted with them at every turn.  The grief is enormous & at times will seem insurmountable for Butch's wife, children, family & friends. My heart breaks for Butch's wife. I'll say may prayers for her in the coming days, she will need all of the prayers & support she can get for quite some time. My friend Michelle, who found her late husband Jim dead from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The amount of pain she endured was overwhelming to witness, yet I was rendered helpless to take away the pain she suffered. i could only lend a shoulder to cry upon, an ear to listen & a hand to help her up again. The agony one suffers when a loved one dies tragically never goes away, it lingers in the backside of your mind & your soul has impressions cast upon it, that will never heal. Memories have a way of either trapping us or elating us, thus we tuck them away for safe keeping. Time helps to heal the superficial wounds, but the scars from the pain remain for life.

My husband's youngest brother Jonny, passed away at age 26, from a tragic car crash. He left behind a young son. Nothing about grief is easy nor should it be. Life is very precious. We appreciate what we lose. The wise person appreciates before the loss & cherishes the moments, that will become memories. It's those memories that will sustain us throughout our lives, after a loss. The fool tosses moments around like a jester & scrambles to piece the memories together after the loss. Even a fool can become wise with enough time. I speak from experience & I'm sure I have company.

                                  (My God rest your soul Claude "Butch" Trucks. )

My dad named me Melissa & like many girls of the era, when I heard my name in a ballad, I was hooked. Melissa is one of the most beautifully written & yet haunting blues ballad I've ever heard. My husband has probably sang at least 20 different Allman Brothers songs, over the years with his various bands. You would be hard pressed to find any Southern band with members over the age of forty, who have not played Allman brothers songs. I feel my quest to find my misspent youth ever fleeting, like looking for an ice cube on the beach. The great musicians from my youth are one by one crossing over to the other side. Damn...I suppose I'm getting old, but I don't care because the 60's-70's produced some of the best blues, rock & funk songs ever recorded.

Do yourself a favor & treat your inner child to some down home Southern Soulshine from the original Southern Rock band "The Allman Brothers." Grab a glass of sweet tea, kick off your shoes & let your worries melt away. I promise you the Allman Brothers music is good for what ails you. I personally logged many long nights alone listening to their music, while my wild child husband was in a bar somewhere thumping his bass. I danced many hours in honky tonk southern bars with my friends during my youth, to the magical music of the Macon Ga. musical outlaws aka Allman Brothers. Hey I never said I was an angel (giggling).

The world has lost an outstanding drummer/percussionist with the passing of Claude "Butch" Trucks. The Trucks family has lost more than any of us could understand, but we empathize with the Trucks family during their time of great sorrow. I pray they find peace & comfort. Duane Allman, Berry Oakley, Allen Woody, Lamar Williams, Frank & Dan Tolar were joined by Butch Trucks on the other side.  I hope they all rest in peace & occasionally get together for a jam session. RIP Butch Trucks, you will be missed but never forgotten. Win, Lose or Draw....Never Knew How Much...Melissa....Jessica....Please Call Home... Queen of Hearts....Stormy Monday.....In memory of Elizabeth Reed....Black Hearted woman....Blue Sky....Multicolored Lady....Soul Shine....Midnight Rider.....Whipping Post.....Stand Back......Ain't Wastin' Time No More ....Southbound....One Way Out....Ramblin' Man....Statesboro Blues... These Days......Ain't my Cross to bear......
Ladies & Gentlemen the Allman Brothers band! Good night sweet prince, may you find the peace you so desired & may you rest in that peace.

Thank you for taking your time to read my blog post,
Lisa Morgan
Author Get Beach Slapped (a Non PC reality check book)
Artist/ Blogger/ Lyricist/ Screenwriter/ Certifiable Professor of Observation/ Humorist aka Smart Ass

#GetBeachSlapped #RT #AllmanBrothers #ButchTrucks #GreggAllman #Soulshine #AllmanBrothersband #music #blues #RIP #blues #rock #southern #DuaneAllman #Melissa #crossroads #RIP #suicide #family #cross #jam #jazz #country #death #DickeyBetts