A Bit Of A Flashback…

Quite a flashback, actually… If you’ve been keeping up with me for a while, you
probably remember the “Epic Surf Trip” I took in my 1970 Volkswagen which began
in November 2008.

I left from Orange County, CA and drove all the way up the Coast to Seattle, encountering
all sorts of fun adventures along the way (including sinking my car in the Pacific Ocean).

After arriving in Seattle, I got my first ever chance to explore the city… And of course,
I started things off down at the Pike Place Market. As I strolled down the brick streets
something out of place hit my ears… Was that a PIANO I heard?

Sure enough, there it was… I could barely believe my eyes. A man with long, gray hair
sitting at a piano, right there on the street corner. He moved with effortless grace, swaying
with the music like an aging metronome… Comfortable, fulfilled, and certainly moving to
the his own beat…

As I stood there watching him play, I suddenly found my eyes closing; hearing the
passion in his music, the grace in the sound. This man was no normal street performer.
Sure, he was a bit disheveled but there was something MORE to him.

As I collected myself, I lifted my camera to my eye and captured these photos:

(My First View)

And then more:

It was frigidly cold that day. Yet here was this man playing his piano,
gloves on his hands, jacket on top of jacket, and eyes closed blissfully.

I wandered around him for several minutes before he even knew I was
there… Finally opening his eyes at the end of the song, he smiled and said hello.

I thanked him for the music, and wandered away.

Flash Forward….

Thirteen months later, my wife and I made our way back to Seattle…
Once again in a Volkswagen, though this time with decidedly less dunks
in the Pacific.

As we made our way up to the market, I smiled as I heard the music in
the distance I was so excited to share this beautiful man with my bride!

Just as we arrived by his side, he finished his song and took a moment
to talk to us. I told him that I’d taken his picture the previous year and had
it hanging in my home (that first photo looks AMAZING on canvas

He asked me for a copy, and shared that he truly wasn’t your average street
performer, barely getting by. His name was Jonny Hahn and he’d been performing
at that same location for nearly as long as I’ve been alive. He lived just down the
street and LIVED to make the music he shared.

It was truly inspiring to talk to this gentle, passionate soul… A man commonly
overlooked, but filled with a humble joy.

Here’s a video I found of him playing on YouTube:
(I’ll try to get a better one next time!)

I’ll be back in Seattle in Late June for a beautiful wedding… And I can assure
you that Lord willing, I’ll be stopping by to see Jonny and thank him for his
constant inspiration.

How are YOU inspiring people?
Who’s inspiring YOU in unexpected ways?

Thanks For Reading,