Can you feel it, the heartbeat of life around us, the call of The Common Drum? A hand brushes against your own, a stranger’s hand. But it’s not unwelcome. Breathe deep, look around, and listen. Take a moment to witness the beauty of the sky, the colors of the trees. Hear the music of the land. Embrace what is around you right here and now. Now take the hand of the one next to you and see that all the colors become more vivid. The light becomes softer, warmer, the sky bigger, more beautiful. The world is not meant to be experienced alone. It is more beautiful when we look upon it together and help those we stand beside to see it more clearly.

You live in this moment, the dance of life. Offering your hand to another for support, encouragement, for solace and hope. Your heartbeats echo together in your grasp. That is The Common Drum. You are the many and the one, a member in a loose, ever-changing assembly of tribes that come together to share in the experience of life, a community that embraces all. Welcoming all who are in need. Respect life, and you are always welcome.

Perhaps you will be a healer, tending to the wounds of the body with curative songs. Or a great champion, fighting to free the enslaved with the shared spirits of brave warriors in your heart. Or perhaps a teacher, expanding and sharing your innate understanding of the world and others with empathy magic. Your magic alone is but a flicker in the face of the bonfire that burns when we are joined. You are here to inspire, entertain, and enkindle. To welcome those eager to learn from what you share, and share in turn in what they are here to offer the world. Breathe deep, see those around you, and listen. Take a moment. See the beauty in their lives, the vivid colors of their world. Hear what they are saying. If they ask for help, do what you can. Listen to their hearts if they are willing to let you. Share in The Common Drum. That is magic.

“Life binds us all as one. We all are Gossmere.”