THE H WORDS

I slept last night in a good hotel, I went shopping today for jewels, the wind rushed around in the dirty town, and the children let out from the schools, I was standing on a noisy corner, waiting for the walking green, across the street he stood, and he played real good, on his clarinet for free.

FOR FREE - Joni Mitchell 1970

Humility is lasting, hubris not so much. We should remember that. Humility is kindness, hubris not so much. We should remember that too. When we listen to our music, watch our sports heroes and, most of all, when we make decisions on who best can lead us forward.

In 1970’s FOR FREE, one of the great singer-songwriters of all time on a city stroll recognizes her own good fortune while admiring just one of the millions of good people, talented people, hard-working people, out there struggling. That’s what humility does, makes one grateful for all the good things that have come along and less inclined to pat oneself on the back for all one’s hard work and unmatched brilliance. Hubris not so much.

We often seem to be going the opposite way, usually via our phones and big screens. We reward and applaud loud and bold, so much so that it feeds upon itself.

Nobody stopped to hear him, though he played so sweet and high, they knew he had never been on their TV, so they passed his music by.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can turn down the volume on anyone and everyone telling us how great they are, decide for ourselves where the talent and goodness lie. To paraphrase Joni, it will most likely be found for free, where big money is nowhere around, now more than ever in the 53 years since her album Ladies of the Canyon was released.