A Musician’s Creative Journey
If you missed it, you can read Week Thirteen of my Musician’s Creative Journey, where I explore the things that often go unnoticed.
This post is the latest installment of my ongoing series, A Musician’s Creative Journey — a weekly practice of reflection through music, writing, and daily life.
In Week 14, I find myself reflecting on the wisdom of lives that came before me — things that stand as symbols, from the sacred to the playground — each carrying a power all their own.
I’m reminded that each chapter of life holds lessons, memories, and wisdom, all for the taking. What we hold as sacred reveals the values that defined who we are.
Thank you for being part of this creative journey.
— k
Day One
April 2nd, 2026
In a world that feels loud with chaos, I found this quiet presence in a garden…
Saint Francis of Assisi— A symbol of nonviolence and peace, Reminding me of what is still possible When we choose compassion.
In a world that feels loud with chaos, I found this quiet presence in a garden…
Saint Francis of Assisi— A symbol of nonviolence and peace, Reminding me of what is still possible When we choose compassion.
I went to Assisi — it was the only city not attacked during World War II. I learned about Saint Francis there. He had gone to war and was imprisoned — once seeking glory, he went as one man and came home someone quite different.
I was taken by his story and the impact his life has had on the world. Francis stood in the middle of the town square, stripped off his clothes, and walked away from everything — his father’s wealth, his family name, the life that had been mapped out for him. He wanted nothing to do with the madness. I’m sure people thought it was he who was mad. But he saw what he saw, and it hit him like a stone. He lived a life of peace and nonviolence and committed himself to helping others. He loved animals. He stood for something bigger than himself.
A story of a life still told — 800 years later. Powerful.
Day Two
April 3rd, 2026
The lotus flower
represents growth, renewal, and the power to rise from the mud into beauty.
I noticed this lotus flower with a crystal ball nestled inside its petals, on a stick in a neighbor’s front yard. It was different. It caught my attention. I took the picture.
The lotus flower is a symbol of what can grow out of the mud. I like that image. It gives me hope — something to work toward. It serves as a reminder that things can be messy and still produce beauty.
Day Three
April 4th, 2026
It’s not just where we place our focus…
it’s also what’s quietly shaping us in the background.
There’s a long story behind this plastic Jesus, but it makes me smile. Sometimes that’s all that matters.
Day Four
April 5th, 2026
The Mariemont Memorial Bell Tower stands as a reflection of a vision held by Mary Emery—a philanthropist and widow who dreamed of creating an ideal, healthy community for working families.
The bells were meant to mark time, call people together, and create a shared rhythm within the community… something that feels a lot like music itself.
The bells of this tower were meant to mark time, to call people together, and create a shared rhythm within community.
The bells were meant to mark time, call people together, and create a shared rhythm within the community… something that feels a lot like music itself.
I’ve driven past this bell tower dozens of times. I never stopped to look. I had no idea about the history behind Mariemont.
I like history, but it doesn’t always tell a good story. I was glad to stand beside a bell tower that has meaning — to stand in a space that once brought people together.
As I walked to the park with my camera, only one person spoke to me. The park felt more like a museum. Everybody in their own world. Sitting in nature, looking at their phone.
What would happen if the world went a week without one? If we survived more than three days, we’d probably stop fighting and realize the insanity of it all.
Day Five
April 6th, 2026
Slides and playgrounds
reminders that the child within us is still alive, still waiting to play.
I had a swing set. My dad drove stakes in the ground so it wouldn’t tip over. I could climb to the very top and hang by my knees. There was a teeter-totter and a slide — made of metal, too hot to touch in the summer. But I learned to survive.
There was a merry-go-round at the park, with a seesaw and a big swing set. There was a concession stand and six pixie straws filled with flavored sugar for a dime — hot balls, bubblegum, Lay’s potato chips. By junior high we had Tab, Fresca, Pringles, and Weight Watchers.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was real.
The ground wasn’t padded, there were no fences with locks, and we all felt safe.
I know we can’t go backwards. But I wonder — do we know how to move forward?
Day Six
April 7th, 2026
I saw a sign that said ‘the coolest toys on earth’…
and it made me think—
the coolest toys I ever had, money couldn’t buy.
I loved toys as a kid, but nothing beat a refrigerator box, blankets draped over the living room furniture, mercury from a broken thermometer rolling around in the lid of a game box, or just a hose with a sprayer on a hot day.
I had an Etch A Sketch instead of an iPad. I had a cap gun with rolls of caps — they made noise, but they didn’t hurt anyone. I had a purple Huffy bike with a banana seat, a sissy bar, and high handlebars. I had clothespins, a deck of Rook cards, and a Batman cape.
I had an imagination. It was mine. Fed by nature, not algorithms. By friendships, not likes. And if I hurt someone’s feelings, my mom made me knock on their door and apologize.
Those were the coolest days, the coolest games, and the coolest toys.
Day Seven
April 8th, 2026
FLASHBACK! I remember vinyl records and record stores…
turntables and 45’s, Spencer’s and black lights, FM radio and WKQQ.
FLASHBACK! I remember vinyl records and record stores… turntables and 45s, Spencer’s and black lights, FM radio and WKQQ.
Growing up, I can still remember —
…Camelot Music at the Fayette Mall. …Payphones when a call only cost a dime. …Checking to see if a new record had arrived. …Seeing what was on the B side of the latest 45. …Thumbing through records to look at the artwork. …Listening to WKQQ on the radio. …Looking through sheet music on the back wall to find lyrics or the chords of a new song. …Buying a giant poster of Jimi Hendrix, black fishnet, and a lava lamp at Spencer’s.
Today, I don’t have to leave my house. I don’t have to wait. There’s no time to just hang out.
Wrap Up
This concludes Week 14. I remain committed to this creative journey, taking it one day at a time. I’ve had breakthroughs in my creative process, continued to take photos, and looked at the world around me for what speaks.
Each image I share serves as a thumbnail — a steady reminder to pause, reflect, and stay the course.
Bye for now… Week Fifteen coming soon.
— k
An Invitation to Write
Set a timer for ten minutes. Write without stopping. Don’t edit, don’t second-guess — just let it come.
Writing Prompts:
Write about what you hold as valuable and why. Describe the role your childhood played in shaping who you are today.
Resources:
A new book I’m starting this week by Thich Nhất Hạnh — Living Buddha, Living Christ
Here is a featured track titled Love from my catalogue:
Seek out something new this week — and let it surprise you.
— k
P.S. My Substack is growing. It’s a space to go deeper beyond the weekly posts into the thoughts and questions that don’t fit neatly into a caption. I’d love for you to join me there.
