Why Do I Keep This in My Wallet?

posted in: Champion Tree Project | 1

Jens_LekmanWhat does this ticket stub from a concert I saw in 2007  have to do with A Life’s Work? Before I get to that, let me tell you that I’m a huge Jens Lekman fan. In case you don’t know, Lekman is a Swedish pop musician. To call him “indie” seems not right. He’s got the gift of melody, a lovely voice, a fondness for both pared down home recording and over the top production, and a sentimental side that’s often tinged a little dark. Just go on Youtube and watch and listen to him after you read this.

Why do I keep this stub in my wallet along with my driver’s license, health insurance card, and select fortunes from fortune cookies? Because I saw this show the night before I traveled to Northern California alone to shoot David Milarch in the redwoods.

I was nervous because I’m always nervous the day before a shoot, but I was doubly nervous because I was going on this one solo. But seeing Lekman with my friend and fellow Lekmanhead RWC was a great distraction. But more than that, I had a little epiphany watching him that night. He was performing with a large band and everyone on the stage seemed to be having a great time. And it occurred to me that he was working and he was having a great time because he was doing something he clearly loved. And I thought, yeah, I’m going to the redwoods tomorrow, to one of the most magnificent places on the planet, and I’m going to be doing the thing I love more than anything else. Don’t be anxious. Be happy.

Well, honestly, I was still a little nervous, but I wasn’t anxious. And having this stub in my wallet is a reminder that when I’m filming, I’m doing the thing I love.

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