BE THE LOVE, DYLYWOPS!

OK. You may know this little show I do every week called Wild Wyka Wednesdays. It happens on... well... Wednesdays... (usually) at 7:30 PM... live from my Facebook page (with the re-broadcasts available at a later date on both Facebook and Youtube). If you don’t know about it, my dear Dylywop, you should PROOOOBABLY hop on the bandwagon, like, last week. Over the past few episodes, however, ye devout Dylywops may have noticed my new sign-off phrase. It’s simple, it’s somewhat saccharine, but it’s significant. It has a deep meaning. “Be the love, Dylywops”! I would like to focus on this phrase in this month’s blog post. Why? Good question. Have you seen the news??? If you’ve seen a WWW — abbreviations are trendy —, you probably use some form of social media or technology. The TV, online newspapers and magazines, the radio, social media — can we escape the daily influx of news? Let’s be serious: it’s oftentimes more upsetting than it is uplifting or objectively informative. Just this past week alone, we witnessed the suicides of two high-profile celebrities. I myself suffered a death very “close to home”. As if self-hatred and mental illnesses like depression weren’t enough, then, there are the school shootings and hate speech among politicians and citizens alike. And this. And that. And this. And that. It’s OVERWHELMING! When I was trying to craft the perfect sign-off to capture the essence not only of the WWW programme itself but also of my entire platform as an artist, it came down to a word that some nowadays view as hackneyed and empty: love. Well, I have news for you: THAT, in and of itself, is part of the issue, my friends. Yes, “love” has, in too many respects, lost its meaning as a word... and even as a concept. I “love” comedies. I “love” summer. I “love” hazel eyes — who doesn’t, though? I “love” getting wasted on Friday nights with friends and strangers alike. I “love” fast food. Sure, I may “like” or “enjoy” such things. But will these love me back? Is there a reciprocal relationship involved in these? Well, eyes are the windows to the soul; so, I guess my rhetorical questions fall through where it concerns hazel eyes. I’m obviously being facetious...ish. But seriously, why do we “love” inanimate objects, concepts and activities but find it so difficult to give true, authentic love to people who could love us back and even to those who may not do so? I’d go so far as to posit that we misuse the word “love” when we tell certain people that we “love” them. Is it truly “love”? I’m aiming not to discredit the level of “love” that you allot among friends, family, acquaintances and even strangers; rather, I want to make you think critically about how you apply the word in a sincere and impactful manner. When I first was thinking of the sign-off, I had other words filling the space — “hope”, “peace”, etc. —, but I constantly fell back on the lyrics of two of my original songs, “Revive the World With Me” and “Send Me So Love Will Shine”. To reduce their messages to ludicrous simplicity, I preach this in those two songs: if we embody pure, unconditional, humble love, we can truly revive the world, we can be the beacon of hope, and we can foster peace. It begins inside us. And what about others? There is a song that I grew up with, and it speaks of never doubting that you were, even in the seemingly most insignificant ways, “loved by someone” — “You Were Loved” by 90s ballad powerhouse Diane Warren, which was performed by Whitney Houston and subsequently recorded by Wynonna Judd. There is an increasingly serious dialogue about mental illness, especially in lieu of this past week’s travesties. It is undeniable that there are physiological and psychological factors that require professional attention, but could you imagine the impact you yourself could have on someone who feels completely alone (or hated) simply by reaching out to him or her? Yes, sometimes it’s just not enough... or is it? Can we ever really know without trying? Sharing a smile, showing some attention, asking how another is, holding the door for someone — those tiny, tiny things can make someone feel loved. They can make all the difference. There is not one person in this world who is not, in some minute way, loved by another. If we more regularly show love in small ways, we can be more effective and constant vehicles of change in this world. As technology changes, shifts and morphs our worldview, we are so much more obsessed with ourselves... and sometimes in ways that are highly detrimental to our self-confidence. It’s Ironic that we, as a society, are becoming more conceited and self-absorbed and yet more focused on others. How so? Well, we see everyone’s lives plastered all over social media and constantly compare ours with theirs... often subconsciously. Why don’t we look like they do? Why don’t we have what they have? Why can’t we do what they can? Our self-love is measured and validated by the material success of others in 2018. What about loving ourselves for doing our best every day? What about loving ourselves for waking up in the morning? What about loving ourselves for making it through another day? What about loving ourselves for simply having goals even if we don’t necessarily achieve them? Yes, we can love ourselves for falling short! Crrrrrazy! Tiny victories, my Dylywops! Find little ways to appreciate yourself. Take a little time to shower yourself in love simply for who you are. You are in charge of who you become. If we learn to love ourselves for who we are, we can love others. Just, just maybe that is all it takes. (N.B. I know there is a lengthy scientific discussion occuring, but let’s be idealistic for a hot second.) Never doubt the significance that you can play in someone else’s life. You don’t need a cape or a superpower in order to effect a change in someone’s life. You don’t need to do monumental charity works or influence federal laws. Just laugh a little, smile a little, learn a little! You can revive the world, and you can make love shine all by simply doing the smallest things. So, I leave you with the root of all other ideals in this world: “be the love”! Focus not on the big things. Be the source of all other good things. Literally BE it! Don’t just produce it; EMBODY it! Be a physical manifestation thereof! Don’t be boggled down by esoteric concepts and lofty goals. Just treats others as you would want them to treat you. Notice the change it’ll make not only within yourself but also withn your whole world. Alright now. Just as I leave you every Wednesday and every time I perform for you, so, too, I leave you now: BE THE LOVE, DYLYWOPS!