We All Should Care

Accept the call for a deeper purpose.

It’s been a while, since I’ve spoken of Spencer Bell here, and perhaps you’re wondering why, since I did, in all honestly promise a post a day for Spencer.

It hasn’t been that I’m being a slacker, it hasn’t been that I’ve lost the passion to show his legacy to the world, it’s that he deserves so much more than a lukewarm, mediocre post daily.

Quality over quantity if you will.

So why now,right? Why today?

Because after finding out that my grandmother is dying of cancer, reading Richard Bach, reflecting on so many things in this life…
I have been hit with something very bittersweet.

Bach believes, as I always have, that once your purpose on this planet is finished, that you leave this world.
Maybe to begin again elsewhere, maybe to look over the ones you love, all of that is left up to your belief system.

My point? If you’re still here, your purpose is unfulfilled.

Spencer not being with us, hurts so many,(His family, and friends that I cannot thank enough for sharing him with the world) and even though I have a harder time grasping someone being taken from this world so young, maybe he had fulfilled his destiny, his purpose.

Maybe it was to enlighten many about art, and how it should be.
Even though he was extremely talented, he was a firm believer, that music, and any art really, comes from the heart, the soul, it doesn’t matter if the rest of the world thinks you’re good at it, so long as you love it, and are impassioned by it.

That alone is inspirational.

His wit, his bravery, his unwavering sense of self that is very clear in his legacy, it is awe inspiring.

I know that nothing can bring those that were close to him comfort, that they miss him EVERY SINGLE DAY, every minute of every day, and that no reasoning in this world is good enough that he isn’t here.
That nothing eases the pain, the void that is abundantly clear every time something happens that makes them think of Spencer.

I also know that my mere words falter, so often, that if people could read solely what is written upon my heart, and embedded in my soul, that this message would come out more eloquently….

Since finding his Legacy, Spencer Bell has touched my life in ways that are hard for me to explain. He picked me up when I didn’t think I could stand, and forced me to persevere when I wanted to quit.
His legacy has introduced me to friends that I know will last a lifetime, his words, his art, his music resonate more loudly, more beautifully than the most professionally composed symphony.

Once again, Jackson Rathbone (FRIEND of Spencer Bell, human being), said it better than I could ever put it: ” my hero was much younger than I when my hero was immortalized… ” and then “…there’s no grave for the soul no vinyl coffin made of gold”

Every Friday, we have deemed “Spencer Bell Day” on Twitter.. but quite honestly, we should celebrate the life that this young man had, every day. When I started using the hashtag #spencerbellislegendary I meant it very literally.

Nothing, not even death, can hold him back from expressing the depth, the intensity, the erring human soul, that was and IS forevermore Spencer Bell.

[[image courtesy of spencerbellmemorial.ning.com]]

I’ve made a pledge. A Pledge to get people to care. I intend on keeping my word, and yet I know it won’t be easy.
I’ve been writing on another site about Spencer Bell, and when I got this site up and running, I knew he had to be my first actual post. He is a young man that was taken well before his time due to Adrenal Cancer. Talented, an artisan, a beautiful soul. He deserves to have his legacy live on.
Before his passing in December of 2006, he made arrangements with his mother to have his works, his art, displayed to the world.
They are all very moving, and were, for me, life altering.
You can learn more about him HERE.
If you’ll notice the picture at the top of the page, that is my wrist, and on it, is a bracelet that says ‘The Music Lives On’ on one side, and on the other, is Spencer’s Memorial Site address.
If you haven’t heard of Spencer, you truly are missing out on beautiful masterpieces, touching stories, some that will make you laugh, others that will touch your heart and make you cry.
He may not be with us in his physical body, but he lives on, through his family, his friends, his fans, and last but certainly not least, his art.
So, I thought, “Hey! I have a great idea!” And thus, my outreach was born.
I have forty bracelets, just like the one that I have on my wrist, to pass out, to the first forty people who go to Spencer’s site, and fill out a profile, listen to his music, read his lyrics,journal entries, and look at his art. Get to know him. Report back to me with your link, your favorite piece, or story that you read about him,and I’ll send you a bracelet. (Not to mention that your soul was fed as well. It’s a win/win).
Then I’m going to forward each of your heart felt messages on, to his family. I know that your words, your feelings, and thoughts would touch them, help them to know that Spencer’s story is being shared around the world. That through him, through them, people will learn about Adrenal Cancer, and we WILL make a difference.

Update: Yes you have seen this post before, but it bears repeating since some people won’t scroll back through all of the awesome articles. Go, get to know Spencer and then report back to me on what you love, like, are impassioned by in his works. Go ahead, I’ll wait

If only dancing around your living room and singing loudly into a broom handle could be a competitive sport, I’d be in the Olympics!
Earlier today, I was cleaning house, I popped in my, Spencer Bell Live & Wasted Album, and I sang and danced my heart out.
No kidding. I know all the words, and I may not sing them on key, I may even change a word or two on occasion but I don’t think Spencer minds, because I enjoy myself.
I enjoy his music.
I celebrate his life every single day,and listening to his music just brings a smile to my face.
Since I’ve “met” him, my life has started changing so much, in so many ways, and I keep saying it, but one day, Spencer, you’re stuck drinking with me, so prepare yourself!
There is a lot of new stuff happening on the Legacy site, you should go check it out, they’ve even added new works of Spencer’s.
Hurry and go now, LEGACY SITE or you’ll be sorry that you didn’t! If you haven’t been before,consider this, he has me bopping around the house singing his music, imagine what he could do for you!
He’s better than Tony Robbins ever had time to be, and he tells it real, like it is, no sugar coating! If you want to donate for research to help find a cure for the POS cancer that yanked this beautiful young man away from this world far too damn soon, go here –>CANCER BLOWS.
Every bit makes a difference!

[[Image courtesy of google images]]

If you look above you’ll see the one thing I wear on my body that I almost NEVER take off. I actually have two of them, one on each wrist.
I feel naked without them, honestly. I am proud to say that I am a Spencerian! Everywhere I go, anyone that talks to me for more than five minutes will, as a result, learn about Spencer Bell.
Just because I’m not writing about him, doesn’t mean that I’m not talking about him. You’d be hard pressed to find one day in which his name, his music, or his quotes aren’t passing my lips.
I love, more than anything, to read people’s stories about him, to know that as amazing as he is, he was/is just like each of us.
Flawed, yet beautiful.
There are days, I find myself in a situation, where I’m not sure what to do, so I ask myself. WWSD? Because I think, even as young as he was, he had it figured out. Hell, a lot better than I do at any rate. He knew to just grab life and enjoy the ride.
For some of us, that’s scary, right? To just let go and BE.

“…..I stomp down on the gas and go really, really fast…..” ~Spencer Bell

Sometimes, we need to throw caution to the wind, and just do what makes us happy, Spencer has taught me that, among so many other things.

I owe that man several beers.. one day, Spence .. me, you, and one hell of a hangover the next day.

I know that I do an incredible amount of talking about Spencer Bell, and that by doing so, you may think that I have him on a pedestal.
Please, allow me to put that to rest, right now.
I would NEVER place him, or anyone else on one, because we are all human, we are all flawed, and humans aren’t meant to sit still for that long, we’d fall. The last thing I would ever want, is for Spencer to fall.
I may think his soul is a light that can illuminate even the darkest corner, but I do not think that he is without flaws. I think that it is the fact that he was so perfectly imperfect, that draws me to him.
His ability to put his passion, his rights, his wrongs, his thoughts, his feelings, so much of him into his art amazes me, and it gives me hope. Hope that I can and possibly am doing the same thing with my own writing.
The Legacy he has left behind, is awe inspiring, and I want to help share it with as many people as possible.
I want people to know Spencer, his work, his Legacy.
I want them to know that even though we are all merely human, and only ONE person, that we CAN make a difference.
I want them to know that his family and friends are among some of the most amazingly kind, and wonderful people I have ever been privileged to meet, and we should thank them for sharing Spencer with us.
I want them to know the meaning of LIVING.
If you want to know more about Spencer, please click his name above and it will direct you to his Legacy site, and if you’d like to give to Adrenal Cancer Research (the horrible disease that stole him away) then please go HERE.. know that every bit makes a difference.

[[Image courtesy of spencerbellmemorial.ning]]

I chose Spencer’s “It Wouldn’t Be So Bad”, poem for the inspiration for this post today,for several reasons.
You can see it in it’s entirety here: It Wouldn’t Be So Bad
A huge part of it, is that it touched someone very close to me, and I absolutely love that I was able to introduce her to Spencer.
Jode Platz ia a musician herself, and she loves music to the point of distraction, so she really relates to this piece in a personal way.
I think another part of it, is that I adore music myself, there have been times, when I wasn’t hiding in a book, I was hiding in music. (Strictly on a listening level, unless you’re referring to my ability to dance around the house, singing into my hairbrush, or singing loudly along with the radio).
So, I too, can relate on a smaller scale. I tend to also apply the mentality to my passions, if I were to slip away while writing or reading, perhaps that would be a smooth transition for me, because it is such a big part of who I am.
If you’d like to know more about Spencer, please visit here: Spencer Bell Memorial, and/or, if you’d like to make a donation to the Adrenal Cancer Research fund, please go here: DONATE! Every contribution is deeply appreciated.

[[image courtesy of google.com/images]]

I was reading quotes today, admittedly one of my favorite things to do, because I’m a cool dork like that, and I happened upon a quote that my best friend, and I thought would fit Spencer Bell perfectly:

He had an artists instinct,and by some token, you also have to be an attentive lover of sorts, to your works of art for them to become masterpieces. To breathe life into anything, there has to be time, affection, and heart.
Each piece of art, is a product of something that has been etched on one’s soul. You have but to read Spencer’s words to know that to be true of him as well.
If you’d like to experience his works for yourself, then please visit his Legacy site here: The Music Lives On and just as importantly, if you’d like to make a contribution for research of Adrenal Cancer, please go here: DONATE. Every little bit helps, and is sincerely appreciated.

[[Art courtesy of ]]

Someone that I absolutely adore, knows how much I love Spencer Bell, and so she surprised me with something very touching.
It brought tears to my eyes, and melted my heart. Now, it resides on my desktop as my background, and my phone as well. (Replacing Jackson Rathbone, no less *laugh*)
You can see it below:

If you would like to have one just like it, either email me here, or go to her blog site JODIE PLATZ and comment her, letting her know.

Thank you again JoJo, it is amazing, and I love it.

If you’d like to know more about Spencer Bell, see his work, then please go here: THE MUSIC LIVES ON, and if you’d like to donate to the research of Adrenal Cancer, then please, go here: DONATE. Every contribution is appreciated, together, we CAN make a difference.

[[Image/Background provided, and created by: Jodie Platz]]

I decided, that today, I am going to let SPENCER’S words speak for themselves:

There isn’t anything I can add to this,or say about it, without taking away from it and that is the last thing I would ever want.
Please go check out his other art at THE MUSIC LIVES ON or donate to research in his honor: ADRENAL CANCER RESEARCH Every donation is sincerely appreciated. Together, we can make a difference.

[[The original work is the creation of, copyrighted, and owned by Spencer Bell, courtesy of spencerbellmemorial.ning.com]]
[[Image courtesy of google.com/images]]

I have read Spencer’s words so many times, yet each time I do, I either happen upon a piece that I identify with, or that I finally just “get” if that makes sense.
The one I read today, that I want to post about is WHEN I PAINT (Click on the name to read it).
He talks about how he really doesn’t over think his pieces, but they make sense to HIM. I feel that way a lot, but also for me, when I’m writing, I tend to not think much at all. I let my soul do the writing, and basically what happens is a kind of beautiful magic.
Because the piece conceives and births itself.
After reading Spencer’s words, I get the odd sensation, that he felt the same way at times.
If you’d like to read more of his prose, please do! And tell a friend!
Go to THE MUSIC LIVES ON!
If you want to donate to help fund the research of the disease that took him away so young, please visit: ADRENAL CANCER RESEARCH. Any and all donations are appreciated.

[[Image courtesy of spencerbellmemorial.ning.com]]