The Six Strings of Life
Eric Church on the value of community
An excerpt from our 2025 Annual Report
In his 2026 address to the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill’s graduating class, Eric Church shared his philosophy for ‘The Six Strings of Life.’ Widely resonant and virally celebrated, these principles provide a framework for living a fulfilling life. Like the six strings of a guitar played in tune, the six strings of life create a chord that is full and true.
The six strings—foremost among them, Community—are both the motivation and the means by which Blue Haven Communities serves people in need.
They are the reason Eric and Katherine chose to invest in the people who make a place great; they are the principles we uphold in our work; and they are the true gifts in life that Blue Haven hopes to restore for individuals and families touched by disaster.
Here’s how Eric describes the six strings of life:
The Low E String: Faith
“The people who nurture their faith in ordinary seasons don’t come undone in extraordinary ones.”
The A String: Family
“The string that makes you feel like you’re not alone in a room.”
The D String: A Life Partner
“The right partner is the string that makes the whole chord ring fuller and warmer and truer than anything you could ever play alone.”
The G String: Ambition and Resilience
“Want the thing, say it out loud, build toward it, and when you fail, tune the string and keep playing.”
The B String: Community
“Plant yourself somewhere. Put down roots with the full intention of growing there…and if you get lost — and at some point, I promise you, you will— you have a place you belong now.”
The High E String: Individuality
“The world does not need another cover song. It needs an original.”
Watch the address below:
