Most Western music is based on a 12-note chromatic scale: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and five corresponding sharps/flats.

However, scales of up to 72 notes exist elsewhere.

If you then factor in the lowest range to the highest range—that’s quite a lot of possible musical tones, or notes.

_______________

Out of all the potential philosophical/religious “notes” available on the vast continuum of human history and culture … you’ve chosen your favorite.

To your ear, this note is beautiful and true; it rings in your heart with comforting familiarity, plays in your soul, and helps you feel at one with all that is good and right.

Your neighbor has found their note and feels quite the same about it as you do about yours.

These two notes do not sound good together. They’re dissonant, they clash.

If you searched sincerely and diligently, how many notes of your lives might you find that sound sweet together?

The things that make us human—contemplation of the natural world, love of family, the mysteries of birth and death, emotional highs and lows, pleasure and suffering, hope and despair, the search for connection to the sacred, the joys of music, art, food, travel—we share these with our neighbor.

Such a profound pity that we ignore all the amazing music we might make together over two notes, when so many notes are available to us.

Don’t let anyone keep you from loving your neighbor—the one whose favorite note you don’t care for.

“Love is but a song we sing

Fear’s the way we die

You can make the mountains ring

Or make the angels cry

Come on, people now

Smile on your brother

Everybody get together

Try to love one another right now”

“Get Together” The Youngbloods, 1967

Note: I know, this old song may seem cheesy to many, and my message may sound like “my one note.” Still, it’s a note I feel compelled to play. If a song plays in the desert where no one hears it, does it still make a sound? I dunno. But it probably needs some sunblock, some shade, and a jug of water.

Peace, friends.