Since returning home from his two-year mission in Santiago, Chile, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, singer/songwriter David Archuleta has been on the move sharing positive messages of hope and encouragement in many different venues. He recently wrote a fine article for the Moroni Channel website in which he addresses young people in particular. In his straightforward message, he talks about how to find a correct balance in life.
He begins by commenting, “We all have obstacles we face. Life is designed to give us hurdles that would keep us from following our dreams, keep us from making new memories, and from being happy if we choose to let fear run its course in us and always take the path of least resistance. But life is made that way because happiness and satisfaction come from accomplishing things that we think are beyond our limits.” He points out that there are times in all of our lives when we are challenged to do things that feel uncomfortable, but once we leave our comfort zone and accomplish those things that initially seemed impossible, we feel a deep sense of satisfaction.
He cited his singing talents as an example stating that just because he does not enjoy having attention drawn to himself, it does not mean that he does not like to sing. To the contrary, David loves to sing and wishes that he could sing to everyone all the time if he could be off the stage, unnoticed, and still give people the same experience of feeling better and more motivated after listening. Nevertheless, it is one of his challenges in life. He relates that his conundrum is that “I find so much joy from keeping to myself to give me time to meditate and be still in an inconspicuous world, but I also find joy in sharing with as many people as possible the things that make me happy.”
He continues by stating that he was able to find a balance of the two while serving his mission from March 2012 to March 2014. He met people from many different walks of life, but hardly anyone recognized him as David Archuleta – the singer, the musician. Because of that, he was able to talk to people, listen to their stories, and share with them things that he believed would help make them better persons without expecting anything in return. He also sang for almost everyone he met – on the streets, in their homes, or standing in their yards. He said:
For some reason, I had some of the most fulfilling performances of my life singing for 1 or 2 people at a time, without the applause or notoriety of crowds—No way of keeping track of social media’s hits/likes/views. I realized music could touch them and me the same way it could having a special musical moment on TV in front of millions of people. For some reason, that moment of satisfaction isn’t about the numbers. It’s about that moment being real and honest regardless if it’s singing for one person or 1 million people.
Even though trying to maintain a balance between living a life that is meaningful to himself both on a personal level and with his career as a performer is a challenge, he has no intentions of quitting or giving up. He believes that each aspect of his life involves two vital principles: (1) loving people, and (2) maintaining a spiritual connection with God.
David also recently spoke at the Baccalaureate service at Chapman University, a private, non-profit university located in Orange, California, affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He joined Valarie Kaur, Sikh social justice attorney, and activist, to share a message of hope and encouragement. According to Huffington Post.com, “Valarie Kaur’s message of stepping into the places of pain and promoting healing was balanced by David Archuleta’s comments on nourishing the inner journey.” In the course of his remarks, David stressed the importance of withdrawing to get to know oneself and one’s relationship with God. He further commented that serving his mission were the best two years of his life – a dream come true. He returned home more confident about his music and his faith, and he also feels that he now has a much greater sense of purpose.
David also shares his understanding of knowing why he is here and the importance of finding the balance within in a beautiful new music video called “Eu entendo porque estou aqui” – “I Understand Why I Am Here.”
In his article for the Moroni Channel, David makes the closing comment, “There’s a reason the contrast of yin and yang find a happy balance to create something greater than if they were separated. I believe that balance comes from finding common ground, similar goals, and the same purpose. It’s up to you and me to find the way to make that balance happen.”
