In many paths I’ve walked in my 70 plus years on earth, I’ve assumed roles that have put me in positions where I’ve had to teach lessons in strategy, organization, preparation, and problem solving. I’ve found myself doing that in my role as teacher to students, coach to athletes, and parent to my children. That has sometimes presented me with challenges as to where to find hints, suggestions, etc., to help me develop plans as to how to be as successful as possible in preparing those in my tutelage to learn those lessons.

I’ve relied on the experience of elder, more experienced teachers whom I observed and learned from, my coaching mentors and other experienced coaches in my community, at coaching clinics, and through my own observations, my own parents, in trusting my gut, and in anyone, which is a very high percentage number, who have had to deal with problem solving in their lines of work.

Often, I’ve also turned to books written by those who were also in teaching and coaching, using thoughts and quotes that would help me deliver my message to those with whom I worked in school and sports. As far as parenting goes, I try and go with my gut, because each parent has to find what works for their children by trial and error, but I’m not above swapping stories with friends and listening to how they deal with certain situations, to pick some aspects from their strategies that I might be able to add to my plan to use with my own children/students/athletes.

One of the avenues I’ve used to try and teach lessons in all areas, has been videos of persons who have been where I am, former professors, teachers, coaches, etc. Another avenue I try and utilize is song lyrics I think can assist in my task of teaching lessons to help, not just learn content and information, but lessons in life too.

I truly believe some songwriters are excellent teachers in some of the words they put to music. I’ve used music often in helping me teach lessons, and one of the artists, I’ve learned much from in not only helping me teach others, but in living my own life too, is the late Jimmy Buffett.

If you’ve ever listened to people who followed Jimmy Buffett, you’ll hear many refer to him as a teacher, a philosopher, a mentor. Many of his lyrics were about living life, being happy, respecting each other and nature, along with much more. Many of his songs had these lessons from his beginnings as a recording artist all the way up to the end of his life on September 1, 2023.

On that date, Jimmy Buffett passed away of Merkel-cell Carcinoma, a rare form of skin cancer, something with which he was diagnosed four years before his passing. In those four years, he continued to write songs, perform live when he was up to it, and in those last four years, he released two new albums, as well.

Knowing he was suffering with cancer, he pressed hard to finish what would be his last album, titled, “Equal Strain on All Parts.” There was one song which Buffett made sure was on that album, one of the last ones he chose for it, one which Paul McCartney was quoted as saying, “…not only was the song great, but the voice was probably the best I’ve heard him sing ever.” The inclusion of this song on his final album may have been symbolizing the last, and maybe greatest, “lesson” he would share with the world, on how to deal with difficulties in our lives. The title of that song was “Bubbles Up.

“Bubbles Up”

“When this world starts a-reelin’

From that pressure drop feelin’

We’re just treading water each day

There’s a way to feel better

Be well set to weather

The storms ’til the sun shines again

When your compass is spinnin’

And you’re lost on the way

Like a leaf in the wind, friend

Hear me when I say,

Bubbles up

They will point you towards home

No matter how deep or how far you roam

They will show you the surface

The plot and the purpose

So, when the journey gets long

Just know that you are loved

There is light up above

And the joy is always enough

Bubbles up

To my friends who are jolly

When melancholy knocks

Sometimes they let her in

To sit and share stories

Of flops and of glories

It ain’t half as bad as the bends

Sometimes living’s a struggle

Multiplied double

But they love it too much

For the party to end

Bubbles up

They will point you towards home

No matter how deep or how far you roam

They will show you the surface

The plot and the purpose

So, when the journey gets long

Just know that you are loved

There is light up above

And joy, there is always enough

Bubbles up

Let’s pop a cork

To the rough and the right

To the bright blazing days

And the sweet starry nights

Bubbles up

They will point us towards home

No matter how deep or how far we roam

They will show you the surface

The plot and the purpose

So, when the journey gets long

Just know that you are loved

There is light up above

And joy, there’s always enough

Bubbles up

Bubbles up

Bubbles up”

To all of us who may be reeling, or feeling any kind of stress or despair, Bubbles Up!