Beautiful Dissonance

An explanation:

The world is absolutely wrought with strife and chaos. At every turn it’s possible to feel completely defeated by the unsolvable, unstoppable disorder of something – anything. Observe:
Poverty, homelessness, strife, fighting, despair.
Over-abundance of wealth, greed, consumption.
Malicious intent, hidden agendas, hypocrisy.

In the United States, we tend to think things are better. Poverty is for third world countries. Homelessness is found on just some other street – not mine. Pass off chaos in Africa as just the way Africa is…by nature. In reality, the U.S. just tends to have prettier packaging. But ignorance and apathy cannot forever drown truth. On the other hand, reality is overwhelming.
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What the hell are we doing here anyway?
School, work, play….and play some more.
Begin a relationship. End a relationship.
Invest – in money, in people, in learning.
Lose – money, people, learning.
Grow attached and get burned.
Laugh and turn to cry when no one is looking.

Sometimes life seems like an endless series – a cycle – of meaningless pursuits. At one moment you feel so strong and confident – never caring what people think about you or do to you. But then you break.

But that becomes the dissonance – the beautiful mess.

In music, dissonance is that chord or a combination of tones that is so ugly – the discord so deep that it is absolutely, gut-wrenchingly beautiful. The dissonance resolves. Dissonance always leads to a resolution. Is that the reason the dissonance stuns us with its magnificence – its depth; the reason it is so painful to the ear and yet so wonderful?

The dissonance – every single non-fitting tone – strings together to create something unique, unlooked for, and brilliant.

And so it goes. Life. Beautiful dissonance. Beautiful mess.

Every city may be plagued by poverty, pursued by the temptation of consumption, and drowning in strife. But each of those tones of dissonance in life is strung together to reveal His masterpiece. The very unknown becomes beautiful and appreciated for its mystery. Why? Because God is beautifully orchestrating the lines of music together to become a symphony. In musical ensembles, different sections will carry the simplest line of notes; or the oddest and ugliest harmony; or the most beautiful, singing tune. But when each of those sections comes together, directed by a conductor, the music becomes whole – paints a picture, tells a story, creates perspective. Dissonance encourages learning and looking beyond the surface; it builds strength.

I have no clue where my life is headed….directly. Thankfully, each day, my Potter uses my own personal beautiful mess of a self for His calling. I know that if I look beyond the chaos, I will see Him gripping each nuance together to masterfully form a work of art.

This is the joy I take in journalism – to see those perspectives. The dissonance is what makes me take a closer look, which is what I hope to do with this blog.

“In order that we finite beings may apprehend the Emperor He translates His glory into multiple forms – into stars, woods, water, beasts, and the bodies of men.” ~C.S. Lewis