I tell you what, I have this one acquaintance in my musical world who really is, just by his nature a gas light specialist. I’ve known him since high school and I accept who and what he is. I try to maintain a friendship with him which at times is not easy. I accept him. I know what he is so in that way he’s like the snake that I can see clearly and avoid entanglement with. 

The problem with a gas lighter is that they derive some sort of perverse pleasure in firing you up with False compliments designed to gain your confidence so they can pull the rug out from under you right when it suits them to charge their own ego.  Needles to say this is super frustrating.

As I move into my 50’s I have promised myself I won’t accept this sort of behavior and I have even cut a few folks out of my life who were long time acquaintances. I say acquaintances because they were only masquerading as friends. 

Yet in my sincere desire to be an open book and a friend to all I found myself following another path that turned out to be a rabbit trail. Only this time the wasted time turned out to only be a matter of weeks before I recognized the old patterns. While it’s upsetting to waste any time on a person who doesn’t really deserve or appreciate it, I’m just being the open book I’ve always been and trying to be the glad handed collaborator always willing to spread the joy of creating good music. 

Metaphorically speaking, I’m done wasting my water and casting pearls before swine. That’s just wasting my pearls. 

I am so grateful to have one true blue musical friend in my life right now. He knows who he is and I thank God for him on the regular. 

The rest is all about making the moves that matter. Getting beck active in church and Delilah, Delilah, Delilah.