(Photo: Kevin Richards)
Musician, author and activist Zach Freidhof has recently published a book that pairs his song lyrics with photographs taken during his travels through the Tetons mountain range. “Tiny Meditations” offers a glimpse into Zach’s yearly westward pilgrimages that have, over the years, inspired his music and transformed his spirit.
I first met Zach last February at the Big Love Festival in Akron’s Musica complex. He was an organizer of the annual festival that celebrates capital “L” Love – of the planet, the community, each other, and ourselves – through art, music, meditation, food, and fellowship. Zach was also the headline performer that day, and a fitting headliner he was. From the stage he radiated joy as he sang songs that delivered his messages of love, hope, encouragement and empowerment.
Reading “Tiny Meditations,” I am reminded of that day’s performance and of the relationships that were forged that day in the spirit of love.
The pages of “Tiny Meditations” contain lines from Zach’s songs, accompanied by photos of the places that inspired his lyrics.
He encourages his audience to embrace the simple but powerful statement, “One voice can shatter all the lies that say you are not enough. You are enough.”
He empowers his audience to accept the simple but powerful challenge, “What if we could every day be a little bit of sunlight for the dreams of our friends? What if we could each day help provide some amount of water to the dreams of others?”
Personally, I found that, as the book’s title suggests, Zach’s message is best revealed in the silence that follows the reading.
For Zach, the mission to spread his positive messages continues. I marvel at the amount of work Zach has done to help bring about positive change in his community and in the lives of the people he encounters. He continues to organize the Akron Peace Project, which he founded in 2010. He also tours with his band, Zach and the Bright Lights, spreading positive messages across the US. He is currently working to organize the fast-approaching March 12, 2016 Big Love Festival, which will take place at Summit Artspace at 140 East Market Street in downtown Akron.
To learn more about Zach or to purchase Tiny Meditations, go to www.zachmusic.net. Copies are also available at Hazel Tree Interiors at 143 West Market Street in Akron.
For information about Big Love Fest 2016, go to https://www.facebook.com/BigLoveAkron/?fref=ts.
