Wednesday, November 29, 2023
It’s easy to be in love with results, isn’t it? The view from the mountaintop is spectacular, but the climb is a different story. I would often tell my music students that applause is overrated. The recognition and “satisfaction” of a topnotch performance is not all it’s cracked up to be.
When you first begin learning music, or anything of value, you don’t see it as a mountainous climb. You’re drawn to the activity itself. You see it as joyful, playful, and intriguing. When I started playing the piano 40 years ago, I didn’t have the capacity to see the climb upon which I was embarking. The summit was in the clouds, and it never occurred to me that I was ascending, traversing treacherous terrain, and moving against gravity. Yes there were many hard times, but love was never far behind me.
From humble beginnings to the heights of accomplishment, success is sustained, not attained. For me, music started with love. I loved playing the piano. I was in love with it and still am. I loved seeing where it would take me. I never did music to reach the summit. The summit comes to me each time I reach for music. The same is true of writing. I’ve written what seems like millions of words, much of it the same; but each time I’m engaged with it, I am brought to the mountain peak. I haven’t earned a dime. I haven’t any name recognition or a best seller, and few people read my words. You never climb the mountain to reach the summit. You climb the mountain because you simply love mountain climbing. You don’t live to reach pinnacle moments. You live because you love, and you love because you live. It’s as simple as that.