One Gift at a Time.

One of the blessing we have in our lives is that we all love music as a family.....None of us are proficient in any stretch of an imagination but we all enjoy it.

I personally have to have true professional performance experience once in a while to feel alive. I am very excited to know that I have tickets bought for James Galway's flute concert in New Orleans shortly.....Can't wait. I think I was quite spoiled in that I grew up in a city where Galway or Rampal appeared regularly. If one was not there one year, another one was... Vienna boys choir was another one that I remember visiting my city frequently. Berlin Phil, Bernstein, Perlman were all very familiar names growing up, although we could not afford these famous performers' concerts that often. Out of my mother's tight budget, she took us to "real" concerts, performed by Nagoya or Tokyo philharmonic orchestra type thing. It was a major sacrifice but she believed that it enriched us. I always remember the air that filled the concert hall and how everyone definitely held their breath and never coughed....and give the longest applause that never seemed to end until the performer would almost get tired of reappearing. So, I hate going to concerts in the US when people don't seem to mind coughing in the middle of it or making noise that annoy me or don't send the heart warming applause long enough.

Some performances in my life right now are not at all done by famous players, but it is usually performed by familiar faces that I cherish around me. I really enjoy the amateur players who work hard to bring something to inspire us. Sometimes, I remember my mother tearing up watching us or hearing us at some school performances or piano recitals or something quite small. I was never one of those who would enter anything serious. If I could I avoid competitions and recitals, I tried. My teacher also understood that I alway lost to my nerves even before I began performing. She allowed me to continue the lessons because I enjoyed it and she did not ask any more of me! So, I never understood why my mother would tear up watching me play some simple tune,, more simple than my younger brother played usually. I think, she knew that I did work almost as hard as my brother did but I just did not have it. She understood the value of persistence and hard work and that is what brought tears to her eyes, I think. She was touched by my effort even though I would never reach the level my younger brother had already reached. She valued me even though my performance was never wowing quality. I am grateful that she never put me down, although teachers at school often discouraged me by saying how much more talented my brother was in everything,,, sports, music, academics,,, that is about everything in a child's life. There was a time that I felt strongly jealous of his abilities. Why? Did I not come from the same set of parents? Why is there so much difference? I struggled in math and social studies, although later in my life, I got better at it. I don't think my brother ever once struggled in anything called academics. He was always on top of the class and he was playing more outside.... that should tell you. He was the fortunate one, it seemed.

Life seems unfair at times. Some gifts are noticeable in some lives but not in others. But we all know that not all the gifts are visible to all. When we acknowledge the gift we have, only the humble heart can make your gift to shine. Sharing spirit would multiply the value of the gifts as well.

Erik loves to play hymns and he says so with such warmth when he picks out a new hymn arrangement to practice. He also loves to visit elderly who wants him to come and play for them. We are blessed to be given opportunities to share what we enjoy within our home with other friends. Today was one of those days. An impromptu visit to a home of an elderly couple gave us all such joy of sharing. The fact that the orthodontist's office is so conveniently located to this home was probably not an accident. It was meant to be.

The video below is of Erik's performance at home. He played for church on Feb 27th but my video recorder was out of commission at the time. I was able to really enjoy listening to him and I recorded him at home later. The elderly couple today really liked this piece today.

As Erik continues to work on school, music, sports that are on his plate, my job is to watch, support, encourage and share in the experience. Music is definitely one gift he appears to be excelling right now but I appreciate his humble and sharing spirit in regards to his musical talent. Humble spirit must accompany us as we cherish the gifts we are given, one gift at time.

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