Saturday, October 22, 2022
The great symphony of life plays on and on. As the music changes, you may begin to resent those changes, but what can you do about them? Changes aren’t meant to upset you, they’re meant to teach you to just take your seat and listen. As the music is playing, don’t try to freeze-frame it, recompose it, make it play faster, make it play slower, or try to make it play something totally different. Remember that you’re not the composer nor the conductor. People who think they are, are kidding themselves. When the music shifts to a minor key by itself, no amount of flapping their pitiful batons will make any difference. The music has a will of its own!
A wise person quietly hums along, or occasionally adds a little bit of harmony here and there. That’s called, “going with it.” Remember that you’re in the symphony, not leading it. The conductor might ask you to contribute, to step up to the podium occasionally, or to add something of your own, but only by invitation. From time to time, if you’re on your best behavior, and you’re watching for your cue, you’ll get to play a little solo, but it won’t be yours per se. All of the creative impulses come from the Grand Poobah, don’t forget. Another important thing to remember is that the music keeps going after you’re gone, so enjoy it while it’s still audible. But mostly just listen and bob your head when it’s jaunty. Cry when it’s sad, and let it go when a good section is over. It’s an interesting piece of music, isn’t it? Don’t let the changes bother you that much. Just listen, try to move with the music, and when it’s your turn, play your solo bits. You’ll get the hang of it and you’ll soon learn how to groove.