I would like all of us to have or develop proper vision of life, a healthy understanding of life. For the quality of our life depends of it. Since many may find obscure what I mean with proper vision. I will use a term that is utterly insufficient to capture the essence of what is meant by vision. I will use the word « attitude ». Having the appropriate attitude in life is important; For our responses to life’s vagaries depend on it. I have heard a story about Itzhak Perlman the fame violinist.
People who attend his concerts knew what to expect. He has been stricken with polio as a child and had to walk with a brace on each and balance himself with crutches. To see him walk accross the stage is quite a scene. He seems to drag himself until he reaches his chair. Then he sits down slowly puts his crutches on the floor, undoes his braces on his legs, tucks one foot back and extends the other foot forward. He picks up his violin, puts it under his chin, nods to the conductor and begins to play. One evening, the unexpected happened. He had just begun to play when a string snapped. The sound was unmistakable! Would he have to put his brace back on, leave the stage to replace the violin or put another string on that one? It is well known that a symphonic work is not played with only three strings. That night Itzhak Perlman ignored the incident and continued playing with more enthusiasm, more passion, more power and purity than those familiar with were accustomed. He had never played like that before, those in the audience reported. He drew out new sound- Perhaps even new to him !
And how did the master respond to the cheers and applause? He smiled , wiped the sweat from his forehead, held up his bow to quiet the audience and said: » Sometimes it is the artist ‘ s task to find out much music you can still make with what you have left. »
What lesson is there for us! Make the music, create new sounds today with everything you have got, with everything you have left. Such an attitude may take us far and open door to the endless beautiful possibilities life can offer.
