Christmas time is fast approaching and so are my Christmas / Holiday concerts. This years set list includes eight seasonal favorites, including today's feature.
You may not realize that this cheerful, uplifting and inspiring song was written by one who was facing a very difficult situation.
Richard Smith was a patient in the West Mountain Sanitarium when he wrote the poem in 1934. Richard Smith was being treated for tuberculosis. Tuberculosis was also called consumption. It was a highly contagious disease that primarily affected the lungs but also caused other body tissue to waste away. It was the most common cause of death throughout the 19th century.
While being treated, Smith entered contests for jingles and ads for companies. Richard Smith’s sister, Marjorie W. Smith, claimed her brother was inspired by the beauty of the freshly fallen snow in the park when he wrote the “Winter Wonderland” poem.
Richard Smith showed his “Winter Wonderland” poem to his friend and musician, Felix Bernard. Bernard was so moved by his friend's poem that he set it to music and the song was recorded by Guy Lombardo and his orchestra. The composition has to date been recorded by numerous artists from various genres.
When I play Winter Wonderland, I am reminded that no matter how hopeless matters may seem, there are always moments to inspire and encourage us, when we become aware of them.
As a child I would tell my Mom that I was bored and she would respond with the advice, "Use your imagination".
You have a powerful imagination even if you don’t realize it. Your brain is able to generate some great ideas.
We all have imagined ourselves playing the big stages, being part of our favorite band, saving the day and becoming the hometown hero or a host of other imaginations.
However, when we become adults, we forget to use our imagination.
Our imagination is a gift and can release creativity and take us to the place in life that we want to reside.
What are you imagining?
While your imagination is always available, it’s not always at its best. It’s important to use it and feed it to keep it sharp. With a little work, your imagination will serve you well.
Who couldn’t use a great idea or two?
Try these techniques to release your creative genius:
Spend more time alone. The most creative people also tend to be those who spend the most time alone. Your imagination can run free when you’re alone. People are distracting.
Set aside time to be creative. Creativity and your imagination go hand in hand. Set aside some time each day to be creative. Your imagination will benefit, too.
The more you grow your creativity, the more your imagination will grow, and vice-versa.
Set aside time to visualize. Practice visualizing each day. This is what we did as children. Visualize things you know. Visualize things that don’t exist. Really stretch your ability to see things in your mind. Here are two exercises to get you started:
Close your eyes and imagine a piece of fruit in your hand. Describe in detail what it looks like, how it feels in your hand, and how it smells. Now, take a bite and describe the taste.
Visualize yourself in a pleasant environment, perhaps the beach. Fully experience being in that place. What do you see, hear, smell, and feel? How real does it feel to you?
Allow yourself to daydream every day. This is so important. Allow your creativity to run wild. Daydream for at least a few minutes each day. Just see where your imagination takes you.
Avoid the temptation to steer your daydream in a particular direction.
Create something from your imagination. Use your imagination to build something.
Suppose you wanted to build a birdhouse. Imagine every aspect of it in your mind. Decide on the dimensions without using a ruler. Plan out every aspect of it and then actually build it. Use only your memory and the necessary tools when it comes time to build. Evaluate how you did.
Explore various creative avenues. If you love to draw, draw. But you’ll become better at drawing if you try your hand at painting, sculpture, or music. Branch out a little bit and your ability to imagine new things will grow.
Withhold judgement. Judgment blocks creativity. If you fear being judged, your ability to imagine and create is greatly stifled. The surest way to worry about other people judging you is to be judgmental of others.
Also, avoid judging the ideas of your imagination. Allow them to take their final form before you critique them.
Travel. New places lead to new thoughts and creations. The number and quality of ideas you generate is limited if you spend all of your time in the same 50-mile radius. Expand your horizons and get out of town, or better yet, out of the country.
Spend time with new people. The same goes for spending time with a wide variety of people. Meeting new people will lead to new thoughts and ideas.
Provide your imagination with the fuel it needs to expand. Give it a workout each day. These simple ideas are all you need to get a lot more from your imagination. New people, places, and creative experiences will give your imagination more to work with.
Using your imagination regularly will improve its performance and ability to communicate with you. Your imagination is a tool that’s too powerful to waste. Start using your imagination today!
In 2002, I shared the vision of Faith Country Music, what it would sound like, the message it would share and the influence it would have upon the listener. That same year, the vision came to life with the recording of the first Nashville project, Beyond Your Dreams
There were those who doubted, some shook their heads in unbelief and others thought it would be a one time thing and then over!
Twenty years later, Faith Country Music is going strong and continues to make it’s mark.
In the same pioneer fashion, I am embarking into the world of Gypsy Jazz. It is my goal to introduce new audiences to this music that can be rhythmic and hard driving, as well as intimate and emotional.
I was told after one performance by someone who had never heard Gypsy Jazz, “The music brought a smile to my face”.
It is my mission to use the songs and melodies as an avenue to bring joy, optimism and inspiration to my listeners.
My sincere gratitude for being my companion as we create and present music and messages that inspire and motivate.
