When I was a young boy many, many years ago, my Dad took me to see every big name violinist who came to town. I remember seeing one concert violinist who was performing a difficult piece in front of a very large audience.
Suddenly there was a loud snap that reverberated throughout the auditorium. We, the audience, immediately knew that a string has broken and fully expected the concert to be suspended until another string, or instrument, was brought to the musician.
But instead, the violinist composed himself, closed his eyes and then signaled the conductor to begin again. The orchestra resumed where they had left off and now the violinist played the music on three strings. In his mind, he worked out new fingering to compensate for the missing string.
A work that few people can play well on four strings, the violinist with the broken string played on three. When he finished, an awesome silence hung in the auditorium. And then as one, all of us rose to our feet and cheered wildly.
The violinist smiled and wiped perspiration from his brow. When silence returned to the great room, he explained why he continued to play in spite of a broken string. "You know," he said, still breathless, "sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left."
This was an experience I’ve never forgotten. We know what he meant, don't we? Maybe we've lived most of our lives and we have only a little time left. Can we still make music?
Maybe disease has robbed us of our capacity to work. Can we still make music?
Perhaps a financial loss has left us impoverished. Can we still make music?
Or maybe a meaningful relationship has ended and we feel alone in the world. Can we still make music?
There will come a time when we all experience loss. Like the violinist, will we find the courage to discover just how much music we can still make with what we have left? How much good we can still do? How much joy we can still share?
For I'm convinced that the world, more than ever, needs the music only you can make. And if it takes extra courage to make the music, many will applaud your effort.
For some people have lost more than others, and these brave souls inspire the rest of us to greater heights. Just how much music can you make with what you have left?
Suddenly there was a loud snap that reverberated throughout the auditorium. We, the audience, immediately knew that a string has broken and fully expected the concert to be suspended until another string, or instrument, was brought to the musician.
But instead, the violinist composed himself, closed his eyes and then signaled the conductor to begin again. The orchestra resumed where they had left off and now the violinist played the music on three strings. In his mind, he worked out new fingering to compensate for the missing string.
A work that few people can play well on four strings, the violinist with the broken string played on three. When he finished, an awesome silence hung in the auditorium. And then as one, all of us rose to our feet and cheered wildly.
The violinist smiled and wiped perspiration from his brow. When silence returned to the great room, he explained why he continued to play in spite of a broken string. "You know," he said, still breathless, "sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left."
This was an experience I’ve never forgotten. We know what he meant, don't we? Maybe we've lived most of our lives and we have only a little time left. Can we still make music?
Maybe disease has robbed us of our capacity to work. Can we still make music?
Perhaps a financial loss has left us impoverished. Can we still make music?
Or maybe a meaningful relationship has ended and we feel alone in the world. Can we still make music?
There will come a time when we all experience loss. Like the violinist, will we find the courage to discover just how much music we can still make with what we have left? How much good we can still do? How much joy we can still share?
For I'm convinced that the world, more than ever, needs the music only you can make. And if it takes extra courage to make the music, many will applaud your effort.
For some people have lost more than others, and these brave souls inspire the rest of us to greater heights. Just how much music can you make with what you have left?
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