“Whenever we get tied down to anything- a name, a body, a lifestyle – that’s the road to ruination.”

Prince

I’m not a Prince fan. Missed that bus somehow. I have been impressed with the outpouring of tribute that’s occurred since his sudden death yesterday.

I started jotting down some of his quotes and texting them to my kids. He had some profound thoughts.

The one above seems like an “anything goes” kind of mindset that  could be attributed to a rock star. But, the tributes that I heard about him today talked about his “openness”.

He collaborated with many different artists. He wrote prolifically and many artists recorded his songs. He is said to have mastered 20 different instruments.

He doesn’t appear to be “anything goes”. It appears that he was more like “anything is possible” when you stay open to new experiences and new opportunities to learn.

He had his own way of saying you should happen to the world:

“Don’t let others dictate to you. Dictate your life to others.”

Sounds kind of pushy, but it is a call to each person to find the leader within him and embrace it. It demonstrates a value that says to be one who has a conscience, a set of values and a core that you’ve chosen.

One final quote struck me:

“May your only heroes be God and yourself.”

Prince trusted learning. He trusted self definition. But, it seems trusted a power outside himself.

Don’t be stuck. Get moving. Trust yourself. Trust God. That isn’t anything goes. That’s anything is possible.