The Soloist

Last night after what seemed to be a long nap, I turned on the tube finding 60 Minutes was on...just after round two of the Tourney--which I mostly missed just about 3 games--and on the program, was a very talented, bright, and brilliant artist, a musician, no less, that's troubled by his own self. Struggling and dealing with his own personal demons inside. He has paranoid schizophrenia, and get this...he's also homeless. Living on the streets of L.A. Playing classical music around the streets and well, just playing music in general calms himself from his personal demans...It's what keeps him sane. I was really intrigued and really fascinated by this story/interview. I just had to let in and write about it on my blog.


Mr. Nathaniel Ayers


In his early years of his life, he was practically normal and living a very good life. With family and shelter on his side. He was smart and very talented. He played music...and later played instruments. Later on, he was accepted in one of the most prestigious music schools in the nation, The Juilliard School of Music. There, he was practically doing well, until he started to go downhill. He was failing at the School...and that's where he started acting up. It was his fight against himself. It brought down all the walls around him. Lost his family, his living, a house...But one thing that he hasn't lost, and I believe in any artist that knows, is music. I was really moved by this because here is a man...lost in his own self...but the only way finding himself back again is his passion, talent, and love of music. He carries around him a variety of instruments: violin, trumpet, and a cello. He schooled himself on how to play instruments and read music. Now homeless, though he may play music just for himself, but he tends to share his talent to his surroundings on the streets covering up his troubled self. People might not know that he's troubled...but he sure does. It's the only way to keep him sane. It's basically his only cure. He refused any and all medication...and they just didn't work at all for him. Music is his only medicine.


There was so much more in that program that you just had to watch it yourself. There's so much that I wanted to write about here, but I just thought I'd focuse and reflect upon his own life and the effect of his definition of music. I wanted to reflect his own point-of-view. His brilliant-troubled life...fighting this struggle with himself...His personal demons. I suggest you know about Mr. Ayers--as he's known--because it will make you think and reflect on others, even with people who are troubled. It'll give you a different view on things in this wonderful thing called...life. Look him up on Google...he's a cool cat. There's also a movie made based on him, called The Soloist. I might just check that out some time...

b.