You can spend today worrying about tomorrow but when tomorrow comes, I think you will find it hasn’t changed anything. Worry is nothing more than a bad habit; it holds no value, instead just holds up your life. – Amanda Nichipor
Searching For Enlightenment
The small things that help me make sense of my world
Searching For Enlightenment 
I have been enjoying your posts. You’re a wonderful writer! This quote reminds me of a great song that Andy introduced to me years ago. It’s called “Why Worry” by Dire Straits. Check it out. It has a long intro but it’s really great. My favorite line is, “There’s always laughter after pain, there’s always sunshine after rain, these things have alwasy been the same, so why worry now?”.
Thank you, Heidi. You said last year that I should be more open, lol. I didn’t really get to know Andy as an adult, but I can tell he was a soulful person just from his music. I have always told my family about what a treat it was to listen to albums at your house. It was a great exposure to the old 70’s rock (and some punk too.) As for the writing, well, I just write things down as they come to me. When I started back to school in 2008, my first class was Creative Writing; just thinking about it gave me fits. I told my instructor (totally hot) that I had to write one poem in High School, and I couldn’t do it–Denise K. wrote one for me to turn in. Cheater!
I had to turn in a portfolio of work–10 poems and two short stories or one long one. He later told me that he had rarely seen someone write poems in so many different styles. Some were funny, angry, short and funny, long and satirical. The thing that surprised me the most was how two poems came out slightly suggestive–a racy poem, from me and I turned them in. I saw my teacher later that year in the stairwell, and said, “oh, man. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again after your read my poems.” He laughed and I was totally blushing.
I got an A in the class. He said my poetry was adequate and was highly impressed with my short fiction, which turned out great. I may publish it here in several parts. I haven’t looked at it since, so it might need some editing. I just realized I’m still on the blog and not emailing (tired.)
Thank you, again, for your encouragement. I will check out Andy’s Dire Straits song. One last comment…my sister was selling her Norah Jones CD at the garage sale and I just stared at, remembering that I read somewhere that Andy sang along with Norah while dry-walling his basement. Gone too soon, brother.
What I love about what you just wrote is that you took something that one time was nearly paralyzing to you and have turned into a hobby, an outlet, and something to help others who have or are experiencing some of the same things in life. How incredible is THAT??? I really do think you have a gift and when writers are able to express their raw emotion, it helps others relatable and know that they are not alone is this big and sometimes mean, unfair world.
Yeah, I love the song. Thanks for reminding me of it. I just listened to it again. It also has a super long ending, but I think it’s there for the perpose of meditating and letting the worry flow away. I would listen to it when I was super worried about something and it just seemed to calm me.
Norah Jones…yeah, he was a big fan, as was Julie, and myself. Julie gave me her piano sheet music she had of her. I have yet to sit down and work it out. You must have seen Andy’s “15 Songs That Matter” cd he made the year before he died. It was his liner note of the Norah Jones song. Miss that boy every day.
Apologize for the errors!
Lol. I’m always checking what I write on Facebook, but it seems that I always mess us something or usually, leave out a word. I stopped correcting, it’s mostly family and they know I’m goofy.
This reply applet does not have spell check. Bad.
See. I messed up “us”