Thoughts on a music band

Just returned from watching and listening to the U.S. Air Force Band of the West in Laredo for a last performance in a South Texas swing. This is an annual performance, given free of charge to folks go get advanced tickets. As usual, the band is top notch in performance of what they do.

As I watched it occurred to me that all the parts had to work together to make it work. The drums, the horns, the reeds, the strings, and whatever else they brought in, including vocals, had to do their part - even the one that hit a pipe for a sound three times in a whole number. And when they did, a beautiful sound came forth that pleased a large audience. If each did not do his or her part at the right time, it would not have been so perfect.

Taking that thought a step further, what is true of a band is true of most things. In the military, all have to do the job they are trained for. They have to do it with precision. They have to do it on commmand. When all that comes together, we send forth a machine that provides the defense we all expect.

But it is more that all that - the music and the military. Really, that is true of Amercia. Every element has to work together to do what it does best. One thing fails, it almost, if not for sure, makes everything else fail. That is, in fact, what we are going through now. Certain segments had problems -- housing and finance, and their problems are reaching out to all the country.

And, we can take that down to the family, and even personal. Everything has a part, a mission.

As to watching the Air Force band, amazing how one thing can represent, be symbolic of the whole.