Life Is An Elevator
A Novel
By DeWitt Johnston
Chapter 4
Being raised in North Carolina, in a small town by comparison, I was
surrounded by the influences of such role models as pentecostal
preachers, corporate bankers, and bass fishermen. It is due to this
that I find it necessary to look for alternative sources of inspiration
such as music and literature. Music is what proves to provide me with a
source of truth, so that is where I get my identity, not from the
immediate surroundings. It requires either an obscession or some
self-discipline to tap into the universal creativity that has helped me
to understand the spiritual side of human nature.
The listener comes first. The player comes second. In order
to play a note, one must be able to hear a note. The same goes for
achieving harmony with another person when communicating. The speaker
must transmit his intent. The hearer must receive his intention and if
you really want to get a grip on the situation you must sense the
spiritual vibrations and distinguish between good and bad vibes.
Discernment of spiritual vibrations may only take an instant but
sometimes it takes a lifetime. Communication is a form of primitive
agression which may occur in either physical or spiritual form,
sometimes separately, sometimes simultaneously. Physical aggression may
be the result of preconditioned behavior such as the actions of a
soldier in battle who does not question why he is behaving
aggressively. On the other hand physical aggression may be restricted
and replaced by the enraged spiritual nature of the beast. It is
important to know the difference. With enchanced sensitivity the hearer
can react with the correct physical or spiritual response and there
will be an harmoneous result creating a state of spiritual contentment
and physical balance. The best music is performed by kindred spirits of
humankind with the same sort of awareness.
Playing night after night in generic roadhouses in city
after nameless city for those people whose only intent is to get
knee-walking drunk requires a strong commitment to the artform and
continual self-analysis. Most people are never listeners.
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