Music is Peace

"One good thing about music, is when it hits you feel no pain..." 

- Bob Marley.

So hit me with music... me encanta.
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I SO believe in music. It also tames the savage beast you know? There is something about it that when those good songs come on it just gets you going. It takes you from here to there and the journey is oh so beautiful.

For me, music is medicine. Music is harmony. Music is peace. Music is passion. Music is freedom. Music is liberation. Music is unity. 

Take a look at this photo. Don't you see all of that? Harmony. Peace. Passion. Freedom...

"I want to play music in New York. That is my dream" 

That colocho facing us with the guitar in his hand is Fidel. He learned to play music as a child, without any formal lessons. He was an active member of the Youth Group at his church in El Salvador and there he learned from friends and elders how to pluck a pretty tune. I saw him a few times at that church at the bottom of my hill when I was a Peace Corps Volunteer. Those were the days...

That photo above is Fidel in Wisconsin. He is there hanging out with students from Haiti, Honduras, Colombia, etc. etc.

He used to live in La Montania, Morazan, El Salvador in a community of 400 households where you weren't exposed to much besides your neighbors chickens, cows, and gripe. In a way, it was a gem protected from the confusing conditioning of society. In a way, it could be a trap...the lack of opportunities, diversity, curiosity about the world...

The first time Fidel traveled out was to go to the capital city of San Salvador, 5 hours away by bus, to interview for the scholarship application. I still remember those days of applying and planning the trips to San Sal like it was yesterday. Every time he knocked on my door with a smile and ready to work. Even those late nights when he had spent the day at school, then at work, then the church...

You don't know the meaning of humble until you meet Fidel.

Thursday night, I spent about 2 hours on the phone with Fidel's host Mom in Wisconsin. She was so utterly amazed by Fidel's life story and progress at the University and was so excited to share it all with me, that I had a hard time cutting her off around midnight. I would have gladly listened on if it weren't for the timekeeper. 

Like many of us, Fidel has not had a life without challenges. It would serve no purpose to dwell on the living situation from which Fidel comes from, when there is so much more to say about him.

Take a look again at that picture above. Notice how engaged each and everyone of those kids are in the music.

Fidel has a way of bringing people together. I asked his host mom on Thursday if he was shy moving into a new town, community, country, environment.

"Shy??" She asked me. "No, shy is not a word for Fidel."

Fidel has been at North Central Technical College in Wisconsin for just over 1 year now. He ranks one of the top students in his class (along with Saul) and is President of the Student Council. He is also a member of the Honor's Society Fraternity and plays guitar in the choir of a local church. (I'm sorta blushing like a proud mom right now).

He spends his weekend doing retreats and attending leadership conferences. He also takes turns cooking dinner for his roommates.

Look at Fidel in the scene below. I wanna be there! 

"I want to play music in New York. That is my dream" 

It has been my plan for a long time to show Saul and Fidel my hometown. To show them my family. My dog. My friends. My house. Pleasantville. New York City.

You see, you weren't there when Saul and Fidel walked me to the waterfalls when they found out they had both won the opportunity of a lifetime to study at at US college. They never planned on going to college. You weren't there when we all stood beneath the powerful waterfall and screamed at the top of our lungs. But that sound still resonates with me. And I wish I could share with you that feeling.

Because it is harmony. It is passion. It is peace. It is freedom.

Not only do I get that sensation again when I hear the music that I love on Pandora. But that is the feeling Fidel and Saul create in me. They put the music in you ;)

Saul and Fidel are hope for El Salvador. They are the future of La Montania, Morazan- a community that is so very dear and special to me. They are the peace in the world.

It's not that I want your money. I want to share them with you. I want the world to know about them. I mean that so whole-heartedly. If anyone can do it, they can. And you will see that for yourself when they get here Dec. 18.