"I realize that I am blessed to have had the opportunities which I have had. Though I couldn’t have had these opportunities without working hard, working hard isn’t the reason that I have had these chances. Neither is having my supportive and nurturing family, friends, and circle of acquaintances, though they have meant a great deal to me throughout my life. There are many musicians who work very hard, and there are many with a great deal of talent, for whom a career in music has not materialized. I realize that the experiences I have had, both professionally and personally, are Gifts for which I cannot take credit. When I look at music as one of the Gifts that it is, I appreciate it joyfully, practice out of joy, perform out of joy—out of joy for the Gifts my Father has given me. And ultimately, regardless of your religious beliefs, it is difficult to imagine the Gift of being an orchestral musician as anything but. "
-James Markey, New York Philharmonic
Reading this passage coincides with some things I have been thinking about recently.
Music truly is a gift and we can only enjoy it in its pure state when we realize this.
So much peace has entered into my heart because of this realization and I've never felt it easier to be motivated and to work harder since thinking about this. I have come to these realizations before but I have a feeling I will be having to remind myself of this very often as I am doing now!
