"Three Little Birds"

Monday, June 1st, 2009 at 9:34 am

Stephen Marley - Norfolk, VA

This past weekend Alicia and I went to The NorVa to see Stephen Marley play an acoustic version of his Mind Control album. Then this morning, while working at my desk, "Three Little Birds" arrived outside my window and gave me the inspiration to write this blog post.

First, let me share with you a few details of the vibe and the show. Surprisingly, The NorVa was only half full to see this FIVE TIME Grammy Award Winning Artist and son of the late, great Bob Marley.

Out of all of Bob Marley's children, to me, Stephen is the one who resembles his father the most, from his voice to his demeanor.

It was truly a pleasure seeing him play and if you weren't there - YOU MISSED IT! And even though, the NorVa wasn't filled to capacity, the folks who were there gave him a warm, welcoming applause.

Stephen stayed true to his father's 'One Love' philosophy by being humble and appreciative in spite of the less than sold-out crowd. At one point, he had the crowd chanting "UNITY" and said "Unity is MUST...you see" before transitioning into Redemption Song.

But back to why I decided to write this post. Stephen sang a rendition of his fathers song, 'Three Little Birds'.

Well let me take that back...the crowd actually sang the entire song for him, he just added a few "YEAHS" and a some smiles...while the crowd sang in perfect unison:

"Three little birds upon my doorstep...Singing sweet songs of melodies...Pure and pure...Saying this is my message to you...Don't worry about a thing...Every little thing is going to be alright..."

Who doesn't want to think everything is going to be alright?? Especially in the current economic climate. I sure do! I also know that more often than not, the difference between feeling alright and not feeling alright, are just a few simple thoughts in our heads.

I have a bird feeder attached to a window outside of my office. Some say it may be a distraction from work, and they're probably right, but I enjoy the occasional break I get when a cardinal or a blue jay pays me a visit. It breaks the day up a bit and gives me a quick chance to reflect.

This morning I had Three Little Birds visit me, I recorded a short video of them.

Seeing them outside my window got me thinking about the show Friday night and how although the show wasn't sold out, Stephen made the best of it and even seemed grateful to play for the smaller than average crowd.

After the show was over Stephen could have easily gotten on his bus and headed off to the next town but he took a few extra HOURS out his time to show his appreciation for those who came to see him. I've seen a lot of concerts and most musicians are not as gracious as Stephen. It really shows a lot of character on his part to invite his fans back on his bus for autographs and pictures.

Witnessing his act of graciousness lead me to thinking about the things I'm most grateful for...the people in my life (family, friends, business associates), the material things I've worked hard to obtain and the freedom I've created for myself.

Have you heard the old adage?

"Take time to smell the roses."

Who hasn't, right?

It doesn't matter what stage of life you may find yourself in or what place in the world you may be, you can find something to appreciate about your life!

Try to use something you experience from time to time and allow it to serve as a reminder for you to have a positive thought or an uplifting feeling. It can be something as little as a visit from a bird. Every time I see a cardinal or bluejay...I can't help not to stop and think,

"Oh yeah, life is good. I have a lot of things to be grateful about!" SMILE

Plus, there's a great marketing lesson here. By giving a little extra of yourself from time to time, you'll build a deeper relationship with your customer base, likely having them purchasing from you in the future. After all...you must give to receive.

Stay Stoked!