An Inspirational Man

Pete’s pick for most Inspirational person this month is a friend.

I’ve known Jon McLaughlin for several decades now. We played high school football together, right next to each other – he, left tackle and I, left end. I’m glad I didn’t have to play against him. I’m glad I was on his team. In practice, whenever coach would say to anybody, “You line up against Mac.” you knew you were in for it. It usually wasn’t a pretty sight. The boy/man was a bulldog. He still is.

He re-emerged in my life several years ago with an unlikely project. It turns out that he had been teaching Sunday School for many years and had evolved his teaching of the Ten Commandments into something more palpable for teenagers. It is written in the form of accessible poetry and presents each commandment through the eyes of God’s love for man. Though he wrote it for his teenage classes, I found it to be a modern approach to these ten ancient laws for the whole family.

How this ferocious tackle came to be a Love poet is a fascinating tale. I certainly can’t tell it all here, but suffice it to say he did not move from one to the other, he really amalgamated the two qualities into a most interesting man.

I have long admired this quiet, gentle butt-kicker from afar. But lately I’ve had a chance to get to know him more personally. His idea was to combine music with his Ten Commandments project in a new and original way, record it and release it as a CD. He came to me because I’m the ‘music guy’ and I’m into this whole Inspirational thing and besides, I’ve got a record company. So on top of all those previously mentioned attributes, he’s smart.

Working with him over these past couple of years has sometimes been like going into my stance across from him in football practice. One could fear for one’s safety. But I learned from our beloved coach back then that the harder you hit, the less chance you have of getting hurt, so we sometimes duke it out a bit in this adult game.

The sparks we’ve created have made the project better. We’ve pushed each other to greater heights of artistry and manhood. Along the way I’ve not lost, but gained new respect for his inner man, his sense of himself, his quiet strength and his ability to work till he gets it right. The bulldog still lives in Mac, but he keeps it on a chain. I’m grateful.

The project is in development. It’s a doosey. If all goes according to Hoyle it’ll be out sometime late spring, 2009.

Though the project is Inspirational and right up the alley for Watchfire Music, the man is the most fascinating part of the puzzle. This project will be successful because this man will make it so. He has all the ammunition, and at the center of things, the bulldog perspicacity to get the job done.

Again, I’m glad I’m on his team.

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For more inspiring music you can download
and information about Peter Link, please visit Watchfire Music.