Michael Franti's performance of "Once A Day" got 18,000  people off  their feet, dancing in their seats, clapping to the beat and singing the refrain at the Dali Lama's 80 birthday celebration. Even the Dali Lama was holding hands with guests on stage and moving to the rhythm. 

Music has the power to bring people together, to cement memories and deliver a meaningful message. This is exactly the way I felt in a sea of 18,000 like-minded people at the Global Compassion Summit on June 5, 2015 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.  

There with my brother - this song is engrained in my mind with such positive emotions and feelings that every time I hear the song, I want to amplify it in every way possible.   

The message: simple -  valuing every day, being compassionate, showing love and affection daily, rising up when you fall and paying zero attention to negativity - are all messages worth listening to. 

Michael Franti personalized his introduction by explaining that  his 16 year old son was diagnosed with a rare disease last year an you never know what's around the corner.  It's so true.

You can can hear Once A Day on YouTube.  Lyrics below. 

No no no no you never know what the world's gonna show you,
It ain't up to you.
You always think it's gonna happen to another person,
And it's never ever gonna happen to you. 
You got your friends, you got your money,
Got your family, got your honey,
You think you got a million days.
But then life comes along
And it knocks you right down to the ground and that's why I say,

Everybody oughta hug somebody, at least once a day.
And everybody oughta kiss somebody, at least once a day.
Everybody's gonna miss somebody, at least once a day. 
And everybody gotta love somebody, every day!

And we all will rise up! (Spread your wings and fly)
And we all will rise up!
And we all will rise up! (Spread your wings and fly)
And we all will rise up!
And we all will rise up! (Spread your wings and fly)
And we all will rise up!
And we all will rise up!
And we all will rise up!

I heard the purpose of life's to live a life full of purpose,
And so don't ever take for granted what the spirit has given you
In the first verse,
You might never get a second verse,
This ain't a rehearsal, you can't put it in reverse.
Believe in yourself, don't let nobody be a negative or tell you what to do. 
Cause I know (cause I know)
In this sweet, sweet life that just this much is true!

Everybody oughta hug somebody, at least once a day. (Once a day)
And everybody oughta kiss somebody, at least once a day. (Uh huh)
Everybody gonna miss somebody, at least once a day. (Yo, yo)
And everybody gotta love somebody, every day!

And we all will rise up! (Spread your wings and fly)
And we all will rise up!
And we all will rise up! (Spread your wings and fly)
And we all will rise up!
And we all will rise up! (Spread your wings and fly)
And we all will rise up!
And we all will rise up! (Spread your wings and fly)
And we all will rise up!

[Sonna Rele:]
So don't you worry bout what people say,
Raise your head up and be on your way. 
And it don't matter if you fall today,
Just get up, get up, get up, get up!

We rise up! (Hey)
We rise up! (Hey)
We ri-i-i-i-ise! (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
We rise up! (Hey)
We rise up! (Hey)
We ri-i-i-i-ise!

Everybody oughta hug somebody, at least once a day. (Once a day)
And everybody oughta kiss somebody, at least once a day. (Yeah)
Everybody gonna miss somebody, at least once a day. (Uh huh)
And everybody gotta love somebody, every day! (Yo)

And we all will rise up! (Rise up)
And we all will rise up! (Yeah)


Spread your wings and fly!
Peace in the Middle East, y'all.
Michael Franti!
Spread your wings and fly!
East, north, and south.
East and west y'all.
Spread your wings and fly!