"We Shall Overcome." "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" "If I Had a Hammer." Folk singer and activist Pete Seeger, who died Monday, left behind songs that had a huge impact for social change of all kinds and that still resonate today. They carry simple but profound messages.
From what I read about his life, he simply couldn't keep from singing. The songs were in him and needed to come out. Although he had planned to be a journalist, it was his love of music that won out and carried him through life. And we are the beneficiaries. In 2009 he said that his job was "to show folks there's a lot of good music in this world, and if used right it may help to save the planet."
What's inside you that simply needs expression? Do you still have something that you dream of doing? Do you have words or songs that need to come out? Something that could make a difference, if not to the world, at least to one or two people in your life?
What holds you back from sharing your gifts with the world—or with those right around you? You and I may not be Pete Seeger. But we each have talents and gifts that are important and helpful to our families, friends, communities and the world. And no matter what stage of life you find yourself in right now, there's likely something left to say or do, some "song" still inside you that's just waiting to emerge.
Go for it! Just look at the power of one voice, one life.
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