Lessons From Stevie Wonder

A few years ago, our daughter invited us to join her for a concert with Stevie Wonder. Steve was so jazzed, as he’s followed the prolific musician and humanitarian since he was in high school. (And who doesn’t love a 25X Grammy Winner from our generation?)

Although I’ve seen him on TV countless times, this was my first concert with Stevie. I was impressed by his demeanor, his gentleness, his mastery and his sense of humor.

It was evident that everything is well planned and rehearsed, including his daughter bringing him to the stage. However, once he is on stage, he sits down at one keyboard, then shifts over to a baby grand piano, picking up a harmonica or two along the way. He even stood once and sang a song and then settled back down at the keyboard. All of these movements was without help of any kind.

The four harmonicas and an extra microphone were on top of the baby grand piano, laying on some textured, non-slip material (kind of like what I have in my kitchen cabinets) At one point, he reached for a harmonica, touching it and then putting it back and taking the one next to it. When he blew into it, he
made a funny face, put it back and then picked up the one he had passed on, just seconds earlier. He blew into it and then threw his head back and laughed at himself.

I LOVE how he is able to laugh and just go with the flow! There were a few more times where he laughed at himself or made a joke about “the blind man up here.”

Think about it: blind within a few weeks of birth, shuffled from his original home at the age of four to Detroit, one of six children raised by a single mom in the 50’s and 60’s. Yet, he began playing piano, harmonica and drums at an early age and won his first Grammy at age 13!

He said this about himself:

“Sometimes I feel really blessed to be blind because I probably would not last a minute if I were able to see things.”

Yes, he is a gentle soul. Yet, my favorite attribute is his ability to NOT take himself so seriously, to laugh at himself and to smile and have a great time on stage . . . and in life!

So, the next time, I drop something or take a mis-step, I’m going to laugh at myself and think of Stevie Wonder.

It’s all good . . .