My Children and Music

My Children and Music

My Pen Mates,

I die every time I hear them play...

There's a primal satisfaction in hearing your progeny play music. It's the language that calms the wildest beast; music's universal reach touches us in a multi-sensory way that even partial-passive attention causes us to relax and be diverted if momentarily from pre-frontal pre-occupations. But hearing my children play music, when Lucas plays the piano, and Lica plays the violin, I am transported from temporal reality to a place I cannot occupy even in deep meditation.

Tonight, Lucas indulged me with his simple rendition of The Impossible Dream from The Man Of La Mancha. He let me sing and dictate rhythm in my off-key way. He played the measures as I imagined they were played in the movie soundtrack. He accommodated my tone, temperament, mood, and passion. He filled my soul with joy with his patience, his presence and his closeness as I stood behind him, looking over his shoulder as he soulfully played. For one moment, I was filled with thankfulness and calm. I connected with him not as a son but as a soul mate who enjoyed an expression of art. It was moving to realize that I probably made more of the moment, enjoyed it at a much deeper level than he did, yet we took away from it a shared memory which we'll always carry__ both versions precious, both versions necessary components of our relationship.

Lica followed this with a clinical rendition of her violin piece. She's starting with several pieces with this set; following her first recital, her teacher wants to present her with pieces to develop a new skill set. It'll be a while before she can play music of her own choosing, but her foundation is strong and I can't wait till I can sing to her accompaniment.

It's a feeling I truly cherished. Having my wife and my five year old sit contentedly next to each other as I exulted in my first two children's music practice was perhaps one of the most calming home experience I've ever been blessed with. Its memory, its imprint, its profound grip on my soul, is testament to a love I have a responsibility to pass on, because it could only have come from an Everlasting Source.

Mon