so long as the sun keeps sliding through the sky

Who was Spencer Bell? He was “a poet, musician, artist” who sadly passed away in 2006 from adrenal cancer. He left this world just 11 days after being admitted to the hospital with stomach pains.

I had heard about Bell while I was checking out the 100 Monkeys website a few months back.  I had completely forgotten about knowing anything about him until this past weekend. I was hanging out with a friend watching a live stream of a concert of 100 Monkeys, which just so happened to be a Spencer Bell Legacy Concert (I believe). I remembered then that I had heard of him.

I re-visited the 100 Monkeys site, which includes a Spencer Bell Legacy Project page. You truly have to read this page to understand the entire story behind Bell’s experience. On the site there is an entry that he wrote in one of his journals in September of 2003 (3 years before his passing). It struck some deep emotions within me.  The words are incredibly moving:

I’m honestly not sure where this life is going
And I just as honestly do not care
So long as I can love
And be loved
So long as I can inspire
And be inspired
So long as the sun keeps sliding through the sky,
And the rain still falls on occasion,
I’m sure that whatever supremely awaits me
Shall come
And when finality brings itself to me
I will not run and vainly avoid the inevitable
I will cast my arms out and blindly
Embrace my end
Just as I have always embraced whatever
Has come with the wind

His words are extremely powerful and they show what amazing talent and strength he had. I’m sure he had no idea that just a few years later he would be embracing his end.  Although he is no longer with us, the words he had written managed to find me years down the road. In that sense, along with his music, he truly was able to inspire.

Only in the last few days have I begun to listen to his music, but I really enjoy his style.

A song…..

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