Four Pillars of Story
Part of a series of articles entitled “Different by Nature’”
“If this life is one act why do we lay all these traps? We put them right in our path when we just wanna be free.
I will not waste my time, making up all kinds of ways to worry about all the things that will not happen to me.
I’m living in the moment …”
Music fills the room as the singer croons. The audience sings along. Word for word they belt the tunes. They feel this guy. Really feel him. And it’s no wonder.Jason Mraz, an award-winning, surf-loving, green-eating, solar- powering singer/songwriter has elevated his own life to a new level and is living it out loud.
Once known for tunes like ‘The Remedy” and “Waiting for my Rocket to Come,” this would-be cheeky kid has matured… grown… changed. And yet, he hasn’t. In many ways, he is the same guy who grew up in small-town Mechanicsville, Virginia, far from the maddening crowd. His move to San Diego, California, where he glued himself to coffee house bar stools and gained a following, did little to change his essence. It is his heart that remains true, and if any artist can boast of this, Jason would be the guy. Although he won’t. That wouldn’t be his style. Instead he chooses to live mindfully, letting his passion guide his life and encouraging others to do the same–all the while being green, blue and any other color typically found in nature.
A SOFT SPOT FOR THE PLANET AND ITS PEOPLE.
To say that Jason Mraz believes in protecting the planet on which he lives is an understatement. He lives on his own farm, grows his own food, uses the sun for energy, refuses single-use plastics and counts protecting the planet as one of his Four Pillars of Service.
The Jason Mraz Foundation, the organization upheld by his four pillars, was formed by Mraz based on core principles of his own life, including the desire to preserve our environment. He believes deeply in this idea, expressing it in the lyrics he writes and songs he sings as well as in the way he lives his life.
Included among the things this independent thinker believes is that marriage is for anyone in love. Anyone. He stands beside, not behind, gay marriage rights, and although he himself is straight, some claim that his own relationship suffered because of his belief. He felt, in all fairness, he would not marry until it was a right shared by all.
What others think of his choices matters little to Mraz. It’s seemingly more important to him that each person be able to live life on their own terms. Whatever they may be. Couple that mode of operation with another of his pillars, Arts and Education, and you have a guy that gives back to the very thing that has made him famous. Kids around the globe receive an outpouring of love and support from his foundation while his fourth and final pillar, Recovery and Assistance focuses on quality of life for people with varying needs.
A SIMPLE LIFE OF LOVE AND SERVICE
So where does a guy with this attitude about life hang out? The beach. An admitted surf rat, Mraz can be found close to his Oceanside, California home when not on the road. It’s this simplicity and approachability that makes Mraz a favorite among all ages.
After all, who can’t help but love the simple message that he imparts in his music about living a life of love and purpose? Or the near perfect message he imparts in his life of connectedness to the planet and to the people? We love that about him… and so much more.
So thanks, Jason, for keeping it real and building a life of service, one pillar at a time. We love your sound and we especially love your lyrics. They remind us of living a life of purpose and passion and of expressing ourselves with a heartfelt sincerity on this journey we call life.
“I’m living in the moment
I’m living my life
Oh, easy and breezy
With peace in my mind
Peace in my heart
Peace in my soul
Wherever I’m going,
I’m already home
I’m living in the moment”
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