It's funny how music strikes a chord.
Personally I find the song "You Must
Love Me" from Evita (talk about gay)
rather evocative. The melody, lyrics,
and specifically Madonna's rendition
resonate deeply within me. Click here
to listen... NOW STOP. At this point
I'm certain some of you are beyond
incredulous at the idea that I somehow
find this aged diva relevant. Thus most
of my dear readers are eager to ask -
What does Madonna have to do with
Montana?! The answer... follows...
Let me explain. Initially I spent my life
doing what was expected and in theory
"right". My choices were driven by a
dire need for acceptance and approval
of others. Only to find that they really
didn't care all that much. That lesson
taught me that each of us must do what
is right for us. Living for others never
works. It hurts all involved. Hence my
challenge has been - can Greg be Greg
and live in rural Montana? The answer
to which is a resounding yes. The only
question being how long can this last?!
Not everybody fits in therefore I'm not
alone. Wallis, the Duchess of Windsor
HATED being "stuck" in the Bahamas
during WWII. She didn't care that the
world was LIVID given she'd stolen the
heart (and throne) of King Edward VII.
As far as Wallis was concerned it didn't
matter nor that many worried that Adolf
Hitler was her buddy. Her only concern
was that her silver, china, linens, were
hidden in storage behind enemy lines in
France. What could be more shallow?!
Yet what's important to some may not...
You see, it's easy to get your priorities
screwed up. Unless you're willing to
shift your focus from flippant foolery
to empowering transformation - one
can easily be bitter. Millicent Rogers
had it all. Filthy rich AND beautiful -
she wasn't happy. In the mid 1940's
she came upon a small adobe in the
New Mexican desert. There in Taos
she found her groove and went on to
become a champion for indigenous
people's art, history, and rights. Only
to die too early. Well before her time.
I relate much more to Millicent
than Wallis. You see, I believe
we each control our own destiny.
Everybody makes choices. And
nothing can change the course of
one's life more than ill conceived
notions. The key to happiness is
making the decision that's right
for you and no one else. In the
end other's opinions don't matter.
Hence every day that I look at the
Judith mountains I know I'm in
the right place... for me. WOW!
The older I get the more I respect the
power of my "gut". That deep, inner
voice never steers me wrong. I know
that ultimately living one's truth is the
secret to success. Sounds easy - but
it's hard to stop and listen to what your
soul is saying. One must allow for the
time and space to enable destiny to
happen naturally. Everybody can find
their personal Montana - discover the
place where it's easiest to be true to
yourself. Where is your paradise?
More important - are you there yet?
