The American Dream Prevails – Again

 

 

 

 

Success – Achievement

 

Very recently, the new French President, Nicholas Sarkozy delivered a speech before a joint session of the Congress of the United States of America.  Very seldom has this honor been given an individual from a foreign country.  The chamber was filled with all members of the Senate, Congress and invited guests as well as the public.

 

I have personally listened to his speech then downloaded the transcript for myself so that when I want to be inspired, I read it again and again.  This was clearly a speech that this country needed desperately.  It comes at a time in our history when division, doubt, vitriol, hatred and general negativity pervades the air. 

 

Permit me to quote from the transcript of Mr. Sarkozy’s speech.

 

Quote number one:  “America did not tell millions of men and women who came here from every country in the world come, and everything will be given to you.  She said, come and the only limits to what you will be able to achieve will be your own courage and your own talent.”

 

Quote number two:  “Here, in America both the humblest and most illustrious citizens alike know that nothing is owed to them and that everything has to be earned.  What makes America great is her ability to transform her own dream into hope for all mankind”.

 

The key words in this speech clearly indicate that yes, America wants and supports immigration but legal immigration.  And a vast number of immigrants in the past that came here did so legally, waited in line, worked very hard and then had to pass a test, take an oath of allegiance and only then became citizens.  Sometimes this took as long as twelve years but they achieved their freedom and citizenship the correct way….they earned it.

 

Ladies and gentleman, I could go on for many paragraphs quoting this Mr. Sarkozy’s speech.  It was truly a moment in my life I will remember for a long long time.  But I want to stop here and tell you about a LEGAL immigrant whom I recently met.  He and his family members all had a dream.  That dream was to become American citizens but they did it the legal way.

 

This man emigrated here in 1979.  He was nineteen years old.  He spoke only rudimentary English.  Many years of difficult times ensued but now I will “fast forward”  to the present.  This man owns a small shop in Hawaii on the island of Oahu.  It is located in the town of Hau’ula on the famous Kamehameha highway to the north shore of Oahu from Honolulu.  The population of this town is 3651 people.  His shop sells artful gifts and fashion apparel.  He purchased this shop a little over three years ago. 

 

There are countless reasons he has success in this shop.   He has a vast amount of built in charisma. He treats every customer that walks through the door as family, as friends, as humans.  His smile is pervasive.  His character is effervescent.   He exudes confidence.  Now let’s set the record straight.  This is a small store.  He is not making millions of dollars here but he is making a comfortable income; enough in fact to have purchased a beautiful home directly behind the store.

 

Faith, Courage, Conviction

 

You say so what.  I’m bored?  Wait.  Here comes the rest of the story of living a dream.  Making things happen.  Believing in yourself.  Pushing the envelope.  Daring to challenge.  Making the American vision happen.

 

In 1979, this man hardly spoke English.  Over the years, he not only learns to speak English but has this slight British accent (he is NOT from the UK).  Since he was a child, this man loved music.  All music.  But he only listened and wrote poetry.  Eighteen months ago, he picked up one of his ukuleles he sells in his store.  A typical Hawaiian ukulele.  And he worked hard to learn this instrument with no outside assistance, no teacher, no formal lessons.  He did it by ear.

 

Then he added voice to his songs.  He started to sing along with his playing and discovered that what came out of his mouth and out of the ukulele mingled well.  So he continued on.  But there is an important ingredient here.  He did not play from written sheet music.  He played his own mind…..he actually started writing music then played them and added lyrics. Then he sung them.  All this while operating a retail business seven days a week.

 

While training himself to play and sing, he realized that learning the guitar just might be a wise thing to make happen.  So again, without any outside assistance, professional lessons, computer help he learns to play the guitar.  That was three months ago.

 

 Almost as if this vast talent was suddenly unleashed after being locked up for a long time, he melted the music he conceived into harmony with an acoustical guitar.  To “test” his skills, he began playing for customers as they shopped his store.  Virtually everyone who heard him play was immediately struck by his style, his soul, his delivery.  And everyone would ask if he had a CD they could purchase.  Of course, at this time he does not. 

 

But things do happen rapidly.  After many recording industry executives who happen to be vacationing on Oahu and persons with connections in the music industry heard him sing they did what he did not expect.  They gave him their business cards and asked that he contact them.  One in particular was from Nashville and she offered to have him meet recording executives there.  Another was a record producer from Los Angeles.

 

The Present

 

One day about a month past, I was on my way to the North Shore on business and stopped at his store to see how things were moving along.  He announced that he found a co-producer and has finished his first CD which will become available sometime in December. (He is producing the product on his own).

 

When I first heard this mans music, I was in awe.  Then he tells me a really heart warming story.  Nearby, on the island of Oahu is what is known as MCBH.  That is the Marine Corps Base Hawaii.  Marines from that base serve in Afghanistan and Iraq.  One day, about a month ago, the wife of a marine visited his store.  A conversation ensued and after hearing her sadness about missing her husband, that night he wrote a song that he named “How Soon Could You Make It Home” and dedicated that song to her and the American Armed Forces in general.  While in his store, he sang this song for me, live and only with guitar accompaniment. It brought me to tears.  I need to emphasize that it was written, lyrics and music virtually overnight.

 

At the conclusion of this article about this man, I am including about 30 seconds of this song for you to hear just as it will be heard on the new CD. 

 

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a new talent you must hear.  To describe his music is difficult but I will give it an attempt.  First, it is truly from the inner soul.  The lyrics are about life. They are fun.  They are romantic.  They are exciting.  They are unmistakably moving.

 

During his 30+ years of listening carefully to music from all over the world one cannot pinpoint a single artist he is emulating.  He has his very own unique blend and style.  But I did come up with a list of singers who, if you could put all these into a blender, his music would be the final result.  Here is that list:  Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Neil Young, The Beatles,  Carly Simon (lyrical style) and Elton John and a splash of Neil Diamond and Sting.

 

Currently, he has a box full of customers who came to his store and left their card for him to sell the CD when it is released.  I have a feeling he will need a semi-trailer after it is said and done and when this CD gets the airplay it deserves.

 

Finally, I hope you have noticed that until now, I have not mentioned where this man is from…his heritage…his nationality.  The only thing I mentioned is his slight British accent. 

 

After I mention his nationality, you will see how, in the first few paragraphs of this article that this plays directly into Mr. Sarkozy’s statement at his speech before Congress. 

 

That, no matter where you are from, if you desire freedom, if you desire a chance to be all that you want to be,  there are no limits to be what you want to be.  The only thing that needs to be remembered is that you have to earn it.  This man has earned it.  And he did it by coming with his Palestinian family back in 1979 to America, the most powerful and influential nation in the world. As Mr. Sarkozy said and I quote, “ The America that I love is the one that encourages entrepreneurs, not speculators”!

 

This mans name is Fawwaz Jubran.  I encourage you to be vigilant because soon, his first release will be available for sale.  It will soon become one of  your favorite music albums.

 

It is too bad we did not know about this talent in 1984.

 

Thomas Pickett

Photographer