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Musician Nimo Patel Reminds Us To Take Our Time

Opinion

Musician Nimo Patel Reminds Us To Take Our Time

Empty Hands Music Founder Nimo Patel’s new music video, "Takin' My Time," reminds us that taking time for yourself allows us to heal and thrive.

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David L. Nevins
By David L. NevinsJul 18, 2025
David L. Nevins
David L. Nevins serves as publisher of The Fulcrum. Additionally, Nevins serves as co-founder and Board Chairman of the Bridge Alliance. Nevins brings business acumen, vision and a tireless this-must-and-can-be-done zeal to the burgeoning movement to bridge divides to transform the political process. As a business leader, Nevins excels at building bridges between people and organizations from the right, left and center for civilized conversation and then action. He co-founded the Bridge Alliance because, as he says, “No matter how well managed and how well funded anyone organization is, significant political reform will not happen without an alliance to further collaborative interactions. Together we can and will raise the collective impact of all.” He is a member of the Aspen Institute Society of Fellows, with a focus on the Aspen Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership, he established and continues to work with The Nevins Democracy Leaders program at Penn State University. Nevins graduated with honors in economics from Penn State in 1969 and received an M.B.A. in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1971.
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So far in 2025, we honored and celebrated culture as a bridge to the latest news and analysis of politics, policy, and the birth of a new civic and political voice to build greater social cohesion, civic engagement, and problem-solving.

We hope you have taken the journey with us as we shared stories, music, poetry, and dance to inspire our better angels as part of our continuing coverage of the problems and solutions of our times.

We believe more than ever that art has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people.

It’s been a few years since we’ve heard from Nimo Patel, founder of Empty Hands Music. Patel went from his Ivy League education to Wall Street to fame and fortune as a rap star on MTV. However, at some point along Patel’s journey, he realized that he was walking a path of suffering and that the only path to light was through selfless service to others and his own internal purification. For the past 10 years, Patel has been serving and working with underprivileged communities in India.

Today, we present another example of Patel’s work: a new Empty Hands music video, "Takin' My Time.”

This one’s got a feel-good, upbeat, summer vibe, and in the words of Patel:

“In a world full of deadlines, distractions, and pressure, this song is a gentle but radical reminder: Taking time out for yourself isn’t selfish — it’s self-preservation. It’s how we heal, thrive, and serve more wholeheartedly. 🕊️

Especially now, with rising mental health struggles all around us, we hope this song encourages you to slow down, smile, and take your time — for yourself, your soul, and your well-being.”

The Fulcrum is a platform where insiders and outsiders to politics are informed, meet, talk, and act to repair our democracy and make it live and work in our everyday lives. Yet the news can sometimes be stressful and a bit too much.

So enjoy, take a few minutes to relax. In a world filled with constant demands and challenges, taking time for relaxation is necessary to replenish mental and emotional reserves. Relaxation, whether deep breathing, meditation, spending time in nature, or listening to music, creates space for mental clarity and emotional resilience to emerge. This rejuvenation allows approaching problems at the individual, community, and national levels with renewed focus, creativity, and perspective. This can lead to more effective decision-making and a greater capacity to navigate life's complexities.

So take a moment and enjoy "Takin' My Time.” Perhaps you feel rejuvenated so you can face the challenges facing you personally, your community, and our nation with a renewed focus, creativity, and perspective.

David Nevins is co-publisher of The Fulcrum and co-founder and board chairman of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund.

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Bruce Springsteen has spent the past year making no secret of his views on the current administration, expressing them with increasing bluntness from the stage. His recent performances have shown that when he believes democracy is at risk, he does not whisper — he raises his voice. Given that history, no one should expect him to be quiet in October. So when he stepped onstage in Washington, D.C., and previewed the upcoming “Power to the People Festival,” it felt less like a surprise and more like the next verse in a long American tradition of artists using their platforms to defend democratic values.

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After musician after musician pulled out from Trump’s June 24 “Freedom 250” concert, we’re left with Lee Greenwood and an opera tenor. The anthem that made Greenwood a star, “God Bless the USA,” was written in 1985 during the height of the Cold War. It begins with the specter of loss—“If tomorrow—all the things were gone, I’d worked for all my life / And I had to start all over with my children and my wife.” Then the wounds disappear before they’re felt: “I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today / Because the flag still stands for freedom and they can’t take that away.”

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