I came to Atlanta to record a song for FIRST (For inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) the organization founded by Dean Kamen for students to get people interested in science, technology and engineering. I've always had a special place in my heart for Georgia, so when I was asked to come and record "Inspire the World," needless to say, I jumped at the chance.
When I was told I'd be recording in a room Whitney Houston loved singing in. I wrote a friend and said I hoped to channel Whitney in the song.
Within a minute of hitting "send," she wrote me back with a message I was finally ready to hear.
"You don't need to channel anyone to inspire the world. Just appear as the finest version of yourself and everyone who hears you will feel the fire of your soul. They will be moved to the best version of themselves. And feel the kinship to all people."
What a message, what a reminder. And at the end of the day, isn't that the real definition of a friend? Someone who reminds us of who we truly are -- in a world where we are too often tempted to forget.
So "remembering" who I am, I called my friend who co-wrote "Inspire the World" and asked him where we were going to get inspired before recording "Inspire the World." I had suggested places Martin Luther King may have frequented, after all, we're in Georgia, who better to inspire us than the great Dr. King?
Without missing a beat, my friend said "We don't have to go anywhere. All we have to do is listen to the music."
And suddenly, in the silence of a second, I was reminded of a great truth. A secret to all chaos and confusion.A key to all that is beautiful and hopeful.
To truly channel, all we have to do is "be" ourselves. After all, we're all unique channels to an infinite source -- and when we want to be inspired, lifted from a place that might keep us from rising to our very best self, all we have to do is listen.
And if we're lucky, we remember there is nothing we "should be" -- and if we're quiet long enough, we can hear an ancient wisdom and "simply be"
Then, if even for a holy second, we might be the very thing we were looking for all along... And in that sacred moment, why we came to be at all is revealed, and without even trying, we may all inspire the world.