I'm a proud father.
As a father, I laughed out loud and alone for quite awhile this morning. As a father, sitting in the basement, a great pride welled up inside of me.
Why? Monsters of the Deep…an?
While in college, I started a 50 member band. We had full on choreographed dances, break-dancing, painters, rappers, singers, marching band instruments, harps, gongs and whatever we could get our hands on. We wore cultish outfits and put on the greatest performances I’ve ever seen or been apart of (our emphasis was on the performance and not the music). I’ve been to ska, hardcore, hip-hop, and progressive shows, but nothing has come close to the Monsters.
This band started back in 2005. I only competed in one battle of the bands with them in the Mabee center (where Elvis and Pavarotti played their last shows). Since I’ve graduated, they have now played more shows without me than with me. This brings me a great deal of pride—I’m very proud of all the monsters and the leaders like Pierce, Josh and Matt that have carried on the legacy.
It’s awesome to see something last beyond you. It’s even more awesome to see something become better without you. Monsters is growing bigger and better every year, without me, and I absolutely love it.
I’m learning to apply this perspective in every area of my life. As I put my trust in God and learn my identity and security in Him, I don’t have to hold on to things tightly. He’ll take care of me. I don’t have to establish or prove myself. A lot of times we’re not willing to take on someone else’s idea or critique because of insecurity. Many times we don’t allow the next generation to perform because we’re still able to.
Yes, it might take a little patience to see the next generation complete a task slowly and laced with mistakes, but eventually they will get better—just like the Monsters (not that years in Monsters before this were bad). Quick example: I might be able to clean the kitchen really fast by myself. Because I know where everything belongs and have a set system, cleaning flows like clockwork. If I take a 6 year old in the kitchen to clean with me, it’s probably going to take a little longer. Eventually, though, the 6 year old will understand the same systems and techniques as me and we will clean the kitchen in considerably less time. This is Kingdom. This is multiplication verses addition.
Monsters, you are Kingdom.
Father of the Monsters,
Pradeepan (Napeedarp)
[Click here to watch the Full 2009 performance]
[Click here to watch the Old Monsters of the Deep…an?]
P.S.
I love Monsters. I love that it's composed of normal people that come together and form mob mentality plus music. Sometimes when I watch the original Monsters documentary, I tear up because of all the memories and friendships that formed, what now seems to be, so long ago. We must keep the Monsters alive. We must continue to include people that normally would not intersect. I will forever be a Monster and so should you. If you are not, become one--wherever you are.
