I walk quietly in the woods. I am at one with nature.

Well, that’s how it felt yesterday as I stopped and watched a roe deer, which ran a few metres away when I came into view, but then stopped and looked at me for a while, as I stayed still and watched myself being watched. And then the young buck seemed to relax, and started eating.

It was magical.

After a while there was a bark (yes, a bark!) from another deer further down the hill. And “my” deer ambled away in that direction. But not just that deer. It turned out there was another deer I hadn’t seen, closer even, within 5 metres of me. It also wandered away, and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t spotted it.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to hammer an encouraging music related little metaphor out of that story:

Because for songwriters who perform and/or put our music out on the internet, it might sometimes seem like nobody is paying attention.

And yet still they are there.

We will not see everybody who IS paying attention, because not everybody will comment or applause. Or be visible in any way.

But they are still there.

Appreciating what we do. Maybe even loving what we do.

We are oblivious to them.

They are still there.