There Will Never Be Another You
Not too long ago Brad had a dream of the jazz trumpeter, Chet Baker. The dream in Brad’s words:
“He appeared as a thousand year old man. His face looked like it was made of stone. He was in his living room with a younger wife next to him and there were a handful of students surrounding them. Then I realized that I was becoming like that old and ancient man who could barely walk. He was sitting behind a piano and he sang a song to the class, ‘There Will Never Be Another You.’” Its lyrics follow:
This is our last dance together
Tonight soon will be long ago
And in our moment of parting
This is all I want you to know
There will be many other nights like this
And I’ll be standing here with someone new
There will be other songs to sing, another fall, another spring
But there will never be another you. . .
This vision proves two of our long-held beliefs: One, the gods love jazz. Two, classic love songs are holy songs. But more importantly, Chet sings a truth: There will never be another you. You are unique and everything about you is beautiful, including your flaws and mistakes. You have been made to bring something into the world. The special ingredients of you have been prepared according to a divine recipe that is not your business to fully know or understand. If you find yourself thinking you might be an exception to this or doubting your worthiness, then you have forgotten that your life belongs to a vaster benevolent mystery.
Does this mean if you find your purpose and follow your mission that your life will be easy and even prosperous? Not necessarily – just ask many of the great artists, composers, thinkers, writers, performers, saints, preachers, teachers, and medicine people who gave all of themselves to their work but still struggled to make ends meet. But be careful about too much discouragement and self-doubt, as it can be a sign you have shrunken your context and become self-centered and ego-bound. The same is true if you are gloating about your accomplishments or unwavering self-confidence. Whatever the case, you must remember to daily hand your life back over to a Greater Mind and Bigger Hands.
This may initially pinch your ego because it likes to think it runs the show, but after a while you will experience the sweetness of surrender. Placing the context of your life back inside divine mystery is the only way to get over yourself. It’s the only way to keep creating and serving your mission in the face of discouragement (or too much popularity, which can also lead you astray). Pray not for self-confidence or self-esteem, but to be a better vessel for divine action and expression. Then get out of the way, work hard to develop your chops, and do your best to serve up everything you’ve got, because there will never be another you.
The dream of Chet Baker was interesting in part because he was playing the piano. Many people don’t know that, in addition to being a singer and trumpet player, he was also a pianist. Prior to the dream we also didn’t know that, but afterward discovered there is one album on which he is the pianist. The song, “There Will Never Be Another You” is the title track.
Again, this song not only reminds you that you are unique, but that you must approach every dance as if it was your last. Don’t waste any time analyzing whether you are ready. Just say a prayer and plunge. Pray, plunge, repeat.
As you aim to dance with the divine, know that you will sometimes have missteps, trips, and stumbles. Just remember, there will never be another you. Do your best to keep it real, develop your practical know-how, and expand your capacity to discern and learn from mistakes, misguided journeys, and distractions. More importantly, like a jazz musician, utilize everything that happens to effectively guide your next action – this constitutes the improvisational climb up the rope to God from the small cramped quarters of self to the vast and sacred dance floor.
Each and every day, remember that this is our last dance together and tonight soon will be long ago. There truly will never, ever be another you.
Take it way, Chet:
– The Keeneys, April 2016