CLAY AIKEN
AMERICA’S PIED PIPER
Last night I posted a thread entitled “Let’s Play the “What If” Game Tonight…See Where It Goes!” Inside on the message board I asked everyone to think about “What If There Were No Clay” and to sort of think “out loud” and share those thoughts on the board. What started out to be fun and adventuresome quickly turned into one serious posting session. It wasn’t the number of posts that followed; for there weren’t really all that many….it was the substance and the content that touched me so deeply that I just had to write about something that struck me.
One hundred and sixteen years ago, in 1888 and at the age of 76, British Author and Poet, Robert Browning wrote a children’s story/poem entitled “The Pied Piper of Hamelin”. The definition of the Pied Piper in this legend is one who uses his abilities to attract others in order to lure them to their destruction. In this case the pesky rats of Hamelin Town in Brunswick Germany!
The description of this Piper is that he is the strangest figure! His queer long coat from heel to head was half of yellow and half of red (he did not have a stylist)…and he himself was tall and thin, with sharp blue eyes, each like a pin. And light loose hair, yet swarthy skin, no tuft on cheek nor beard on chin. But lips where smile went out and in; there was no guessing his kith and kin: and nobody could enough admire the tall man and his quaint attire.
The Pied Piper said to the people of Hamelin “Please your honours, I’m able, by means of a secret charm, to draw all creatures living beneath the sun, that creep or swim or fly or run, after me so as you never saw”.
Well, for those who know the story, you also know that it ends badly for the people of Hamelin. Perhaps in the same way things ended badly for 19 Management, in that, when you hurt someone whether it be in non-payment for a job well done, or by chastising and making fun of someone and trying to pull them down suffice it to say that no good can come of dastardly deeds.
I liken Clay to that of the Pied Piper in none of the negative ways but only in the Clay-way! He is tall and thin, with beautiful eyes of liquid jade and left to his own design, perhaps would dress from heel to head in a long coat, half of yellow and half of red (remember the Kimmel outfit??).
His lure is that voice and his charm is his essence, his mind, his heart and his love!
In an awesome article written by Dianne Austin we learn more about the Clay who so dearly loves the children, his children who suffer from the puzzling neurological disorder that is Autism. The strength of character and conviction for what he so deeply believes in, the patience and time he gives in this effort. Not to mention his monetary generosity in the starting and continuance of the BAF. How all consuming the disorder can be and how all-giving Clay Aiken is.
“It’s important that I make a difference in some way. It’s not necessarily how I make a difference, but I want to make sure that I do”
Let me reassure you Clay, that you have most definitely made a difference in many ways to all you touch with your singing and with your spirit. This is some of what I discovered in my game last night….each excerpt is from a different member of our board:
If there was no Clay in my life……
Perhaps I wouldn’t pray as much as I do now and mostly for people I don’t even know.
My heart would feel bereft, for with him in this life my heart is full of hope, laughter and song. I now sing all the way to work and all the way home with the beautiful demo Clay made as a teenager yet already held the powerful voice that I love so much.
I never would have believed that it was possible to clean up the music industry and actually believe that any good could come of it.
He was the catalyst that got the ball rolling. But it’s the friendships and laughter and tears that I have shared over the last year that makes me the most grateful for Clay.
Without Clay I may have never considered pursuing my interest in teaching special needs children.
Without Clay in my life I don’t think I would be as aware of children with special needs- and adults with special needs too. Clay has made me so much more aware of how much care is needed in this old world.
I thought internet friendships were things to be afraid of, now I have so many friends inside this monitor I’m looking at.
I have been lonely for a long time with my husband’s illness, and had it not been for a tall red head singing his heart out I wouldn’t have found all the loving, caring, giving friendships that I have found.
Without Clay in my life I wouldn’t have such a wonderful role model for my children.
Without Clay the word Cancer would invade my thoughts all the time. I would wake up thinking about it, sit in my chair thinking about it, go to sleep thinking about it. Without Clay I would not have the music and the voice to soothe me and give me the feeling of peace within, knowing that I will be okay.
Without Clay I would not greet each day with enthusiasm waiting to see what it will bring.
I never knew about your Cancer, without Clay I would not be sitting here feeling a tug at my heart that my new cyber friends have so much to deal with.
I never would have known that angels have freckles.
I would not have been inspired to share my poetry.
My depression would not be gone.
Without Clay the wonderful euphoria of being “in love with love” would have been a thing of the long ago past, and the breathless ecstasy his voice brings to my life and which revives my marriage would have never happened.
Without Clay I would never have bought a ticket for a concert in another state, flown there alone and met the wonderful people whom I trust with every bit of my heart and consider my best friends in the world.
I am a two year survivor of breast cancer, before Clay, I used to wake up every day and think about it all day long, I would wake up at night and think about it…but not any more.
If not for Clay, I wouldn’t feel I could take off to anywhere in The United States and with a phone call or an e-mail to a new found friend have help or information or anything I needed. I think that is truly amazing.
If not for Clay I would not feel forever 25 in my heart.
Without Clay, I would never have known you (our board members/the Clay Nation). Without Clay I never would have found music again, and without Clay, I don’t think I would be so appreciative of life.
Without Clay I don’t think I would ever have seen what an “Angel” looks like.
If there were no Clay, I wouldn’t have such wonderful people in my life right now (the Clay Nation/board members).
After reading Dianne’s article, I posted in part the following: God has bestowed many, many gifts upon and within this one young individual...what a miracle he is walking on this earth with us in this day and age. Clay is, in this little corner of the earth, in these United States of America....a contemporary, American Southern modern day Gandhi and Mother Teresa rolled into one. I don't mean this to sound exaggerated, Clay is not a world-renowned surgeon saving lives, and he is not the Pope, a Buddhist Monk or a Rabbi of the highest ranking.
But, Clay and his magical gifts have been given to us just at the right time! He was put on this earth to soothe souls, raise spirits, fill hearts, raise our consciences and make our minds and brains inquisitive. Clay might well be one of Gods angels among us....no he's not perfect and yes he is human but he is an imperfect human who is humane and loving and caring and giving of himself and also his new found wealth for the betterment of others in all walks of life.... and is here to teach us all one of life’s most important lessons. After all......it's All About Love!!!! We get it Lord...we get it Clay!!
In introducing Clay before singing on the MDA Telethon last year Jerry Lewis said “I can honestly say that in all my life I have never seen a theatrical groundswell that this kid has motivated that it all makes us come right back to the bobby sox and Frank and isn’t it nice to live through that magnificence again? After Clay sang Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Jerry called him back out to take a bow and said “If I may just make a footnote here, you were regaled and trilled by the….. loser? ‘Cause this for me was the winner from day one, this man…what a kid!!
In recent years Americans have lived through the horror that was September 11th, the unspeakable tragedy of Columbine and now the questionable situation of Iraq. And for too long a span, in a time of dark music and videos that are all but x-rated…. God has sent a light to guide us, his name is Clay Aiken….he is loved, admired and followed by legions of fans and as millions watched and voted for him last year on the now Infamous American Idol 2, with that voice, his graciousness, that voice, his spirit, that voice, his heart, that voice, his intelligence, that voice his quick wit and playful comedic flair, he charmed and lured hundreds of thousands of us to follow him on his journey and like the pipe used in Hamelin….Clay uses his glory notes in his lure and he has become the Pied Piper of America!
By: Corie (CorieLuvzClay)
