The Best Things in Life are Free!
[Flashback December 2011 issue #4]
When this article was originally written and featured in the December 2011 edition of I
AM magazine, a young Theo Bonny was on a 20,000 kilometre adventure from Beijing to
Russia. At 20 years of age, his ‘Shire life’ had already been packed with many great experiences, but for Theo, the message was simple, “There is so much more of the world
waiting for your discovery, you just have to throw yourself out there”.
My initial curiosity with Theo was in regards to Music Therapy. Even at his relatively
young age, Theo had researched and practised healing through Music Therapy. During
his work experience in Sutherland with disabled people, he had witnessed first hand the
physical and emotional effects music had on even the severely disabled. The two hour
sessions involved musical interaction with Asperger’s, Autistic and physically disabled
people and the results were beyond positive.
A former student of Kirrawee High School, Theo’s love of music was embraced and encouraged, and the musical opportunities available to him during those years has no
doubt contributed to his success as a musician. Declaring he has always wanted to do
“something helpful”, his departure from High School led to Theo’s career path as a Music
tutor and a Professional Jazz Musician. Teaching at more than 6 Primary Schools across
the Sutherland Shire he finds the job extremely rewarding. Theo said, “Primary School
kids are unaffected, they have no worries, they’re completely carefree. It is definitely a
reality check as to how stressed we get as we get older. And, when you teach young
children, you are providing them with a set of skills. It’s not just a short term hit of music, you are teaching them how to be musical, you are [injecting] music into their lives.”
Theo leads a magical life, travelling across the globe sourcing music from the many cultures that make up this very colourful world we live in, from Cuba to Denver, Russia,
Paris, Munich & Rome to name a few. He has thrown himself out to the world and absorbed the melody of its existence. He has found in the poorer parts of the globe a happiness they hold, that we seem to lack. To live in a poor society, everything that is free
is embraced. “The people sing because it is free, they reach for a discarded container
and a stick to make their percussion. It is a poor man’s music, and it is a freedom that
brings real, pure joy.”
“[During my travels] I have played in Schools where we obviously don’t speak the same
language, but we do speak a universal language, and that is music. In parts of Africa all
you hear about is their music, and that’s because it is free.”
Of the lessons he has learnt from visits to the poorer places, “Material possessions are
not the route to happiness, and intelligence can not be gauged by what we believe we
know is intelligence. A child who cannot read music
can still play the tune. They will play it by ear, the
translation is achieved via a different sense, but the
outcome is still the same.”
Reading over Theo’s story now, some 4 years later,
the similarities with Cassi Jenkins [page 6]
experience in Africa, is phenomenal and goose
bump worthy. And, although both embark on a
journey that may not be suitable for some, the
message is one that we can all choose to hear and
perhaps bring into our own lives.
Experiencing life is a
must. Look at new ways
of living outside of what
you are used to and you
may just find the key
that unlocks the door to
a unique form of
happiness - perhaps
even Freedom.
-Samantha Jane-