ANEW: The Music of Connection
Finding the power in gratitude
Last week, I wrote about the power of forward momentum, sharing the influence of Alan Berry and Tim Canavan on my life. In gratitude, I reached out to both men, hoping they would appreciate the reflection. To my delight, both responded, touched by the words—not so much a tribute, but an acknowledgment of their impact and the lessons they imparted. Alan’s phrase, "rhythm and tempo," still lingers in my mind, a cadence shaping the way I see the world.
Then, last weekend, at a Missouri State Girls’ Quarter Final game, I looked up as celebrations erupted for my former school’s decisive victory. A man, slighter of build, approached me. "Isn’t God good? God is good," he said. It was Alan, standing with his wife, Bonita.
Few moments in writing offer the privilege of seeing the impact of one's words so vividly. But there it was—gratitude, connection, and the unseen forces that bind us all together. Whether we name it as a Higher Power, the guiding hand of fate, or the simple goodness in human connection, something beyond ourselves is always at work. Some might call it God, others Good Orderly Direction, or perhaps simply the Divine.
This encounter brought back a story that must be shared. One Friday, Alan was absent from practice. When he returned after the weekend, the atmosphere shifted—somber yet celebratory. He had just come back from the funeral of his late and truly great uncle, Chuck Berry, one of the architects of rock ‘n’ roll.
In that moment, Alan was cast in a different light. Not because of his connection to music history, but because of the stories surrounding Chuck Berry’s humility and humanity—traits Alan embodies effortlessly. He is a man who gives fully, who wears his heart openly, who inspires others not just by what he says but by how he lives. He leads with conviction, teaching young people that they can rise beyond their circumstances, that life—if we listen closely—has its own rhythm and tempo. Even in our darkest moments, life still sings.
These past weeks have been triumphantly joyful for me. St. Louis, flawed as it is, has given me so much. Like families, like our nation, like ourselves, this city is a tapestry of imperfections and challenges. Yet, even in its struggles, there is a kind of music playing—a persistent rhythm of connection, resilience, and love.
When we pause to recognize what binds us, we remember who we are and why we are here—for each other. Our purpose, in the brief moment we have on this earth, is to reflect the love and goodness that abound within us.
Alan’s presence reaffirmed a simple yet profound truth: Despite our shortcomings, despite the world’s fractures, we are all that we need in the end.
May it always be so.
Curated Listening:
How. could we not end this post without a beautiful ballad from the late, great man and uncle himself? Listen to Chuck Berry sing the beautiful ballad “Time Was” HERE.