Follow me @equisway

Look me up in facebook equisway2@gmail.com

____________________________________________

I’m just a regular guy. Not too young, not too old (depending on how you see the half full glass). Happily married to lady I wanted to marry since forever. Two (great) kids. In my life I have written computer code, sold wines, sold trucks, managed real estate, played drums in a rock band, ran 10k’s and blogged. I am a frustrated musician and an athlete in decadence. But most of all, happy. And if you read me from time to time, you probably already noticed that english is not my first language, so bear with me if I don’t use the proper grammar.

A long time ago, without knowing how, I found out how to be happy. All I had to do was follow the signs, they are everywhere. When you do stuff that makes you happy long enough, you start feeling at peace. When you are at peace, nothing can hurt you.

As I said, I am a musician. I’ve had the privilege of writing and playing music with people far better than I could ever dream to be. I learned so much and had so much fun with them. When I was a lot younger, I played in a band, and we recorded an album and a video, toured a couple of states and in our last live gig together we played for 4,500 people. Then we all had to go our separate ways. I joined another group of very talented musicians who had played at benefit concerts. We were approached by our friend Rose, who is the founder of an organization that saves the lives of children with non-terminal illnesses, called Adanec. She suggested we organized a concert to save the life of a child that needed a heart operation but his parents could not come up with the money needed for the procedure. We all agreed. We got together a 15 piece band, with strings, keyboards, brass and percussion sections, we even had a musical director and a choreographer, and we put together a two hours Beatles Revival. Two thousand people showed up and we saved the life of that child, and of three more. At the celebration dinner held by the organizer, Rose handed each of us a letter size envelope. In the envelope there was a letter from the boy’s father, that read something like this:

“I don’t know why you did what you did. I don’t even know if you can realize what you did, so I will tell you. Imagine you have a son that has a terminal illness. He will soon die, and you will spend the rest of your life with a knife stuck through your heart. Now imagine you have that son, with an illness that is not terminal, but you couldn’t get the money to save him. He will soon die, and you will spend the rest of your life knowing you could have saved him, but you didn’t. This time, you saved my son, and you also saved me.”

There were also pictures of the boy, before and after the operation.

Then she announced she had already set the date for the next event, and we were all on board. We saved 8 boys in 4 years, and that was one of the biggest satisfactions in my life.

I separated from the band to concentrate in my work and my family. A few months ago, Cano, a fellow musician called members of my first band together, and also members of other local former bands. He had an idea of getting old local bands together, record an album and give the proceeds to a local charity organization called Andares. We were all excited to be together again, and amazingly, we played flawlessly, as if we were still together. Of course, it helps that they are the best musicians I have ever played with, so they carried me all through the project. Seven former local bands came together, we each recorded our two most popular songs, and the album has been selling very well.

Those two events were signs left out there for me, to know that serving others makes you happy. Of course, as always, my family and my friends are the source of my strength.

So, go out, do good deeds, share, give more than you receive, imitate your role models, be a role model, give thanks, change the world, be happy. If you are not, you have no one else to blame.

If you are curious, here are the links for our most recent recordings (I’m the drummer).

Frío – La Corte – Rock por Andares

Una Voluntad – La Corte – Rock por Andares

This is the song that one of the bands, Simple Juju, wrote for the project and for Andares (it’s one of my favorite songs ever)

Andares – Simple Juju – Rock por Andares

If you want to contribute to Adanec or Andares, you can visit their websites, or you can let me know via email at equisway@yahoo.com , and we’ll find a way. Let me know if you want to purchase the album, remember all proceeds go to Andares’ cause. If you can’t or don’t want to contribute to those two organizations, find a way to contribute to any other. If you can, contribute with your time and effort, or at least with some money, it doesn’t take much to make a difference. If you are already contributing, share with the rest of us what you are doing, promote your cause.

Do you have an inspirational story you can share? Please do, we all need inspiration.
Are you a musician or an artist? Share your work, provide a link so we can admire your creations.

And, Peace out.

____________________________________________

Follow me @equisway

Look me up in facebook equisway2@gmail.com