The Beautiful Things
So, I'm sitting here listening to Fox Run. Cos Jonathan Steingard rules. And I figured that I might want to include some of my more awesome Emails from him. So here you guys go, just for your enjoyment:
Re: your racism blog | |
From: | Jonathan Steingard |
Sent: | Sat 7/26/08 3:50 AM |
To: | Gillian Dowling |
You know, it's funny.... After reading this post of mine, my mother
wrote me and told me about some things that happened when I was in
Kindergarten. I lived in Vancouver, B.C., which is very multicultural. I
had friends that were italian, east indian, and black. Apparently I
would come home from their houses smelling like spaghetti or curry!
haha. My mom loved how I didn't even consider treating them different
based on their skin or culture. She marveled at the fact that I didn't
know any different. We were all just kids, and we didn't think about
race at all.
I believe you are right... it is character that counts. Our manager is
Korean, and I don't even think about it anymore. A few of my good
friends are black, puerto rican, and mexican. I barely notice. I've
actually enjoyed learning about their cultures here and there. It's so
interesting to learn about people that were raised completely
differently than me. I feel like we all have much we could learn from
each other.
See you on revolve!
Jonathan
Gillian Dowling wrote:
> it was quite enlightening. actually, i'm what they call "mixed". i
> never saw colors or race until i was in school. i got picked on badly
> cos of my skin color and who my parents were. as a kid, my identity
> was often mistaken. and in fourth grade, i got stuck with the name
> "black jap". i'm often mistaken for hawaiin or filipino, when i'm
> half puerto rican and half black. but i never knew the difference and
> why all of these colors or races mattered. i mean, we're all human.
> but once i got to high school, it was the worse. i act "white" but my
> skin color says i'm "black". and that just sucks. so, i try to just
> suck it all up and bite the bullet. but then there's some kids that
> are really racist that sit next to me in school and i get picked on
> that way. i had never known the north to really be racist cos i lived
> in new york, but i encounter it wherever i go. my mum looks pale as
> the moon and my dad is dark as night, so people become uncomfortable
> around them. i remember them telling me stories of hotels shutting
> down for the night when they'd see them. i had to experience racism
> first hand growing up because of my family and the fact that no one
> can tell my ethnicity. i thought it was crazy, but after being
> involved in relationships with people of many different people groups,
> i finally know that i could care less. at one point, i thought i was
> racist, but i realised that i was just against people who were that
> way. it's nice to know that now skin colors don't matter, it's
> character that counts. =)
>
> sincerely,
> !gillian.
>
> ps- i'm super excited about revolve. i always wanted to ask justin
> what it's going to be like for him when he's there since he used to
> play for krystal. i'm sure it's going to be one big ol' family
> reunion! =)
>
Re: hey there... | |
From: | Jonathan Steingard |
Sent: | Sat 7/12/08 12:27 PM |
To: | Gillian Dowling |
Hey Gillian....
Thanks for writing me. Songwriting is a quirky thing.... Sometimes it
just happens... and sometimes it doesn't. I've discovered that for me,
it's not something I can force. If I don't feel inspired, then nothing
good is going to happen! haha... Honesty is a big part of a compelling
song. Most listeners can tell when phrases are thrown in because they
just sound good. It's like in a conversation.... People can tell when
you're not being real with them. The same goes for a good song.
I think you've written two really honest songs here... as far as
"sounding like a whole bunch of kid stuff".... you really don't need to
be afraid of that. Most good, honest songs reflect the state of the
writer at the time. I did a EP back in 2002 called The Summer
Journals... and I'm kind of embarassed of the immaturity of it now...
but it reflects what I was going through at the time, and so it's not
silly... it's just the past, you know?
It's good to be able to grow without feeling to attached to your past...
It's important to find new ways of writing... and new reasons to write.
It keeps things fresh.
Anyways... there are a few thoughts...
Hope they're constructive!
Jonathan
Gillian Dowling wrote:
> *ok. well i wanted to talk to you really fast. cos you're really
> cool. and a brilliant lyricist. like, beyond belief. i was writing
> something down. and it turned into a song book. i don't know how or
> why, it just did. and i respect your stuff enough to actually come to
> you and be like, do you think any of this is good? or does it sound
> like a whole bunch of just kid stuff? like, you can tell it was
> written at seventeen... so uhm, yeah. you don't even have to answer
> if you really don't like it. i won't be offended. i've been mixing
> most of my own stuff and it turns out terrible in the end.*
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> _Lean in a Bit Harder_
> As I cleave to Your soul
> You draw me in closer
> You show me all that You have in store
> And I listen a bit harder
> You speak words oh so low
> And then You breathe life in my ear
> Is this too impossible for you to believe?
> That life is a bit like how He intended it to be?
>
> [Chorus]
> Turn to me
> Make light of your prayer
> Hasten now and move a bit faster
> Hasten now and still your heart
> He's right at the center
> He's right at the core
>
> Each passing day makes me wonder
> How is it that you still want me?
> Why do you still need me?
> And then You kiss my cheek
> And leave me breathless every time
> Suddenly I see what You meant
> Is this too impossible for you to believe?
> That life is a bit like how He intended it to be?
>
> [Chorus]
>
> He's still waiting and watching for you
> He's still begging and pleading for you to come back
> He's still open and wanting you
> He's still begging and pleading for you to come back
>
> [Chorus]
>
> And all that's left here
> He's still at the center
> He's still at the core
> He still wants me
> And now I believe
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> _Insecurity to Imperfection_
> you'd think i lost it all
> or that i'd love to love again
> but i don't
> i'm working on hope
> and i'm working on faith
> moving in unseen
> and then again...i'm not
>
> [chorus]
> from insecurity to imperfection
> i found a dark place
> my secret place is gone
> until i'm on my knees again
> and then i found i'm perfect in all of it
>
> you'd like to think it's all gone
> that joy that i used to feel
> but you're all so very wrong
> the only thing that left is for me to heal
> and i'm finaly letting up
> i'm finally letting go
> take this reign
> and then again...i won't
>
> [chorus]
>
> please hold me
> kiss my cheek
> take away this bleeding
> and all of this needing
> please hold me
> take away this pain...
>
> from insecurity to imperfection
> i found a dark place
> my secret place is gone
> until i'm on my knees again
> and then i found i'm perfect in all of it
> i'm perfect in it all
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
>
> *I'd totally appreciate some advice on what i can do to better these
> lyrics and whatever. I write all the time. I have an entire thing of
> lyrics that just sit in my closet. I hope to be a song writer some
> day. Like TobyMac, Michael W. Smith, The Wizards of Oz, or you...cos
> they're all really beast. Especially you...=)*
> *Sincerely, Gillian.*
>
Re: It's Gillian | |
From: | Jonathan Steingard |
Sent: | Wed 6/18/08 11:41 AM |
To: | Gillian Dowling |
Hey Gillian...
Ichthus was fun... That's a long drive you did to get there!
So, how did I know my wife was the one? Well, you're right, that's a
pretty personal question, but I'm happy to answer it....
To begin with, I actually don't believe in the notion of "the one".... I
know that doesn't sound very romantic, and lots of people (especially
girls) would get offended when they hear that, but bear with me for a
second.
I am incredibly grateful for my wife, and after being with her for 3
years, I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else.
I'm just trying to say that I think there are things that are more
important than trying to find "the one". I think movies, stories, and
sometimes even Christian beliefs sometimes confuse people and complicate
the issue.... creating false expectations and unrealistic fantasies.
Here are some of the important things to think about:
1. Does he/she love the Lord?
2. Do we share the same perspectives on most things?
3. Do we have fun together?
4. Are each of our life goals compatible with the other's?
5. Are we each capable of making a real commitment and sticking to it?
6. Do we challenge each other in good ways (do we help each other grow)?
Those are just a few... but put it this way... if you wrote out EVERY
SINGLE THING that you thought was important... no matter how long the
list was... there would be more than one person in the world that could
fulfill that list!
I think God wants us to think about these things when we're considering
who to spend our lives with. I think it's more about these kinds of
questions than it is about finding "the one". I think that what KIND of
person you marry is the important thing. You know? I think "The One" is
whomever you choose it to be. I chose Jess because she met every thing
on my list, and I met everything on hers... We love each other, and we
have similar relationships with God... And we both felt like God had
blessed our relationship... So it just worked really well.
I know all this sounds very un-romantic, but my point is that God has
given us free will, and I believe He is big enough that He can weave our
free will and our choices into His Grand Design, and make good out of it.
I'm not sure if that was the answer you were looking for, but those are
my thoughts....
Jonathan
Gillian Dowling wrote:
> You guys were at Ichthus yesterday. Which was exciting for me,
> because my friend Matt was calling in your set so that I could listen
> since I couldn't find a ride to meet him there...it's literally 672
> miles from where I live in Delaware. Close to a ten hour drive. And
> with my parents out of town, I couldn't go. But, I'm not sure if you
> remember Jason asking about that phone call in the middle of "hello".
> I do, however, remember you singing in the background. That made me
> smile just a bit too much. I already had a pretty rad day, but that
> put it over the edge. But, may I ask you something quite personal?
> You don't have to respond or answer, but how did you know that your
> wife was the one? I have always wanted to ask someone, but each time
> I do, I either forget or I don't get any answer.
>
> Sincerely,
> Gillian
> Your #6fan
>
Labels: celebrity, life, music, phone call
posted by Giggles at
11:00 AM
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