U2 is one of the three bands that have heavily influenced my life. The other two are Pearl Jam and Led Zeppelin. All point to something beyond this existence – mysticism, the eternal, hope, grace, God. I like other bands too but these have played a consistent role in my  life. I call them the soundtrack of my life. 

The four members of U2 met when they were teenagers in Ireland. When they first started playing, you can tell they weren’t the greatest musicians. A musician friend said that their whole was greater than the sum of their parts. They were really raw and undeveloped on their first albums. Their bass player can barely keep the rhythm and his parts are relatively simple. The guitar player isn’t a classic rock guitarist, he rarely plays solos. But it all works because they are friends who have gone through so much together – death, illness, addiction, breakups, life. 

And God. 

Their guitar player once said that they were below average musicians that asked and allowed God to give them their songs. It shows. Their songs are transcendent. I remarked to a friend that God touches their songs and their songs touch God. 

I feel the same way about many of the special moments in my life – teaching, casework, advising, even playing guitar and sports. I was special not because I was talented or worked hard but because I invited and allowed God in. 

Presently, it’s my writing. I wrote close to 80 poems over the past year.  Also more than half of the more than 600 pages of collected writings. Each poem is different. When Led Zeppelin wrote Stairway to Heaven, one of the greatest rock songs of all time, it took them 14 minutes and they said it felt like a higher power was holding the pen. 

I know I’ve already mentioned most if not all this before. But I think this is about something else. A friend asked me what were the common themes in ny writing. Off the top of my head – faith, hiddenness, justice, searching, wanting to be known, valued, loved, etc. 

But I think the main theme is the presence and faithfulness of God. I had to go through a lot and I often ask why. I don’t understand it all but I think it’s more than just getting through just for the sake of it. Maybe it’s about receiving tools to do something. Maybe it’s character. Maybe it’s something else. I don’t know. 

For now, it’s about writing to and for you. 

Truthfully, I don’t understand art all that well. And definitely not yours. I would to learn why you create what you do and the process, meaning behind all of it. I spent hours in art galleries pretty much clueless. Frankly, I barely understand music too. And even writing. It just comes to me naturally, I don’t think I know all the grammatical rules. Again, I don’t think these are my words. I’m not that good. I still ask God to tell me what to write you.