This principle – doing your best – is foundational.

A bedrock for human well-being and a beacon of hope.

David Foster Wallace wisely noted, "The most obvious important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about." While seemingly a simple truth, in the daily struggles, such fundamental principles can be vital. Don't mistake me for some sage dispensing profound wisdom. I'm not particularly wise, old, or even entirely convinced about the "soul" (mostly joking). This makes me relatable, one of us, not some distant authority. This isn't some obscure, ancient secret; it's about us guiding each other in how to think, not what to think. Right?

Let's move forward. Seek equilibrium. Find resonance. Encourage learning, tolerance, and honesty until we reach a state of ease, a conviction that everything will ultimately be alright. This principle – doing your best – is fundamental.

We often sense a subtle unease, a feeling that something is amiss. Whispers of hidden "truths" and clandestine "master plans" sow discord and uncertainty, much like the unsettling tremors in Sohn's song: "Vibrations of tremors that shook long ago / Tear holes in the fabric of all that we know." The false pretenses and dishonesty of the past continue to ripple through our present. Remember the Borg's chilling declaration? "Resistance is futile." But equally futile is clinging to falsehoods.

"Hold the line," they urged. Yet, the unraveling of what is false might be inevitable, perhaps even necessary. How does the feeling of truth, of genuinely doing your best, resonate within you?

Consider Metallica's powerful words: "So close, no matter how far..." It's more than just lyrics; it's a feeling – solace, acceptance, a seeking and finding of trust in another. It's about opening your heart, "making it true," offering "everything." Few could credibly accuse me of not doing my best. Very few. "Never cared for what they do..." But I strive for constant improvement. "And nothing else matters." It's that surge of accomplishment when you finally master a complex guitar chord progression, that undeniable "yes, I did that" moment that seems to vibrate in harmony with the universe.

Doubt is your adversary. Do your best? How? No? Do your best! Still not enough? Do your best! Did you truly do the best you could? Excellent! Who judges this? You? Or them?

I commit to doing my best. Say it aloud. Feel the conviction deep within. If someone questions, "Did you do your best?" respond with unwavering confidence, "I did." To doubt that is disrespectful; it's my truth. It's akin to the elation of finally debugging a particularly stubborn piece of code, that "I conquered this" feeling that embodies doing your best.

My father instilled this in me. Your personal standard. "I will do the best I can..." Afterwards, simply, "I did." That's the measure. Anything less implies you could have done better, and deep down, you would know. No external opinion can truly sway that inner knowing. You did your best. End of discussion. Clarity. It's like that pivotal moment in a game when you execute the perfect play, the one that shifts the momentum, that feeling of being in flow, in the zone – that is doing your best.

I will stand by this principle. Think of the complete devotion and unwavering trust in "Nothing Else Matters." It's a vibration, a deep truth. It's akin to the satisfaction of completing a challenging puzzle, the sense of order you create – that embodies the truth of doing your best.

"Vibrations of tremors..." These lines speak to persistent disharmony. These "tremors" represent a collective unease. We've all encountered those who haven't given their best, creating friction. It's like a glitch in the system, a feeling that something is fundamentally off.

Which vibration do you choose? Harmony. Your being resonates with it. Disharmony is the voice of doubt. Everyone experiences their own version of this. But the principle of doing your best is truth. We've all felt this resonance, followed by the jarring sensation of disharmony. You feel it, and others feel it. Some may be dishonest about their efforts, but the resulting disharmony is palpable.

Here's a fundamental truth: the vibration of genuine effort. If doubt lingers, there are likely underlying circumstances to address. Otherwise, your best effort stands as truth.

"Vibrations of tremors..." We've all encountered individuals who didn't strive for their best, and we felt the resulting disharmony. It's natural to have moments of doubt, but don't deceive yourself into believing you gave your all when you didn't. That breeds disharmony.

This principle – doing your best – is fundamental. "Do the best you can," without reservation. Everything else – external circumstances – can potentially be altered. What remains immutable is whether you truly gave your best effort. It's a cyclical process: You do your best. Was it genuine? Yes? Excellent! No? Could you have done better? Yes? Re-evaluate and try again. No? Then you did your best. Approved. True. Fact. The resonant vibration of truth. And in that moment, nothing else matters. If doubt persists, examine the circumstances. Otherwise, accept it as truth. You've felt this resonance, and then the jarring contrast of disharmony. You feel it, and others feel it. Some may be dishonest, but the disharmony, the doubt, is undeniably present.

Tomorrow holds the promise that everything will be alright. The tremors will subside, and the fractures will mend because we choose truth. We choose to do our best. We choose harmony.

So, how do you want to resonate today? Choose truth. Choose your best. Choose harmony. Go out there and make it happen!

And stream some music!

Two suggested songs:

"Nothing Else Matters" - Metallica

"TREMORS" - Sohn (Yes, with emphasis: TREMORS)

Listen to both and reread this text. Discover your own music that resonates with these ideas, like two finely tuned tuning forks vibrating in unison – the "vibration of tremors that shook long ago" representing doubt, and the harmonious resonance of truth found in mellow, calming music.

"Nothing Else Matters" embodies the "fight," the individual effort, the work done "alone" in the moment, pushing forward until you have aligned your internal "tuning forks."

So, how do you want to vibrate today? Choose truth. Choose your best. Choose harmony. Go out there and make it happen

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