A Life Lesson From The Beatles’ First Drummer
The Beatles came to the United States when I was a few months shy of my sixteenth birthday. Like many people of my generation (as well as other generations), I became a fan. While I was not as consumed as some people seemed to be about The Beatles, I am aware of some things about The Beatles that might not be of any interest to anybody but me.
What I have known for quite some time, for example, is that Ringo Starr’s “given name” is Richard Starkey. I also knew that there was a drummer before him. He was/is known professionally as Pete Best.
What I did not know until just recently was that there was another drummer before Pete Best. Paul McCartney has a brother whose first name is Michael. At different times during his life, he has used McGear as a last name in order to keep people from thinking that he was/is “riding the coattails” of his much more famous brother. In the early days of the group that became arguably the most famous group in history, and before Pete Best joined the group, Michael played the drums at least on occasion.
What I found most interesting in the material I was reading had less to do with a famous band and more to do with an outlook on life. Instead of focusing on the “what if’s” and dwelling on the success of his famous brother, Michael was quoted at some length about an uncle. The life of that uncle would be described by some as nothing special. As Michael tells it in the article I read, the uncle was not a musician, nor was he famous in any way. He was a carpenter who went to work each day, came home to a modest house, enjoyed a quiet evening with his wife, and went to bed.
I thought that this assessment of his uncle’s life was very interesting:
I didn’t understand it for years, but he had contentment. He didn’t want any more. There’s the rest of the world looking for fame and money — and there’s a simple man who doesn’t want anything more. How profound is that? How extraordinary.
That thought may never find its way into any of Paul McCartney’s songs. Something similar to that can be found, however, in some things written by another Paul. While the quote in the article has some merit, the inspired works penned by the apostle Paul should carry much more weight.
If the world continues many more centuries, there could very easily be a time when nobody will know that The Beatles ever existed. If or when that time comes, these words will still be true:
…I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (Phil. 4:11).
But godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Tim. 6:6).
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content (1 Tim. 6:8).
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AUTHOR: Jim Faughn
