Where You Drop the Needle

I’m a big fan of vinyl albums (check out this eclectic design for Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas). And as any lover of physical records knows, it matters where you drop the needle.

The same truth holds for all aspects of life. It matters where we drop the needle. Set it in the wrong place and we’ll miss the meaning of what’s really going on. 

Whenever a story on the news or in my life seems hopeless, it’s a sign I’m dropping the needle in the wrong place. My attention is stuck in this moment of chaos. It’s like listening to the middle thirty seconds of a song over and over and believing that’s all there is…while missing the creator’s perfectly designed progression of the piece.

That’s why I’ve kept this simple saying with me for decades: “Everything will be ok in the end. If it’s not ok, it’s not the end.” I’m not sure who first said it or who created this image, but the thought reflects the essence of the book of Revelation in a few words. 

I offer it here in case you’re in the middle of a hard season. Because this isn’t the end. But  it does matter where you drop the needle.

Order your copy of Waves of Creativity here.