Last Game On Here

 

Driving back from my gym session this evening, my mind went back to a very old song of mine. Long before I became a doctor. A year or two before I could play the guitar by ear. Long before I had read THAT book on songwriting. When the dream, if I didn’t end up playing football, was to become a Medical Doctor and end up becoming a Sports Medic…

[what most of us are really doing are backup careers … or in this case that and what the parents wanted us to do]

“This could be my last game on here.”

Exaggerated. Yes I know but definitely a call to inspiration for a performance. I feel like a lot of things in life can be explained by making an analogy to sport. That is why I came to call this blog: “I think therefore I play.” I remember a different time when there this was the song I had in my heart that I would play in my mind every time I would play football or face a high pressure situation during life in general. It really put the onus on the notion: “play every game as if it was your last.” 

Not sure I would record that song at this point but it was surely a precursor to a life to come. The rock-genre had only just adopted me at that stage (16) yet I had come across something magical and so inspirational when the melodies and riffs of “Last Game” would hit my football compilation video-making mind (Mikeyland10) in those days. My brain was definitely wired to fit the song to scenes of myself gliding past defenders on a football field. There would be an imaginary scene in my mind’s eye of myself playing for Italy at WC2014 (slim chance but not outside the realm of possibility at that point) and starring in my favourite no.10 role as Francesco Totti’s true heir-apparent on the Azzurri.

Maybe, just maybe once a few of my songs have been sung, we can record “this is my last game” and send it through to be a soundtrack for a tournament or video game. One can dream but definitely a flashback to a defining era when the other-worldly power was beginning to express itself in a boy who didn’t speak until he was three years old.

I have learnt genius is only really the Divine working his Spirit in man but I definitely once upon a time believed in my heart of hearts it was a lot more me and my power. Learnt much better. These days anytime that Spirit expresses itself, I have to humble myself and give all credit to the One to whom all is due. The Latins say Olé in reference to the Arabic “Allah” for the Almighty whenever they see something spectacular. We are just vessels for the time being… God can use any of us at any time.

My songwriting has definitely reverted to the influencial sound from that time period in more recent times. “The Glory of the Son” comes to mind. You will hear that soon and I hope you are blessed by it and its message.

It comes full circle how a lot of things I’m to do this season have their foundations laid in that era. This is very beautiful since for a very long time, I wanted to rewind and just be 16 again. Jesus. Birmingham. Ball. YouTube. Teaching myself guitar to sing. School. Choir.

Today, you can look into my eyes and say “not much has changed - you pretty much look the same” but I would reply that my eyes have seen enough to fill two lifetimes. Prayer power is the title of the project for a reason.

29 is alright but one thing is for sure:

“Everything that’s happened was for the Glory of the Son.”