All life is searching
Outward
Outward
Finding people
Finding places
Findng things
The short lived joy
These discoveries may bring,
Do not provide the answer
To life's suffering.
Times passes
Once years
Now decades
Still searching,
Then resigning
To something missing
Undefined
Unknown
Wisdom slowly gained
Says, "Turn inward"
Be the seeker
Be the answer
Claim your destiny
From the dellusions
Of the material world
A lifetime wasted
No -
A life gained.
It takes the journey
To realize
All is at home
It takes the doing
To realize
Only being matters
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Thoughts on the passing of a wonderful person.
Today I learned that my High School music teacher had passed away last November. She had had MS for many years but ultimately died of cancer. This caused me to return to memories of my teenage years - a miserable time except for the ray of light provided by a certain music teacher.
I was 14 when she came to our school. I had already taught myself to play the guitar and was on my way to becoming the next Joan Baez!! It was the latter part of the 60s, we all sang protest songs, put flowers in our hair and dreamed of going to San Francisco. I was a sorry depressed teenager, failing in school, with a miserable home life and few friends. The messages I received from every angle were ones of not reaching my potential; I didn't even know what that was, and had very little reason as so why should I aim for it.
She overheard me playing one day at recess and told me that she wanted to start a folk choir but needed someone to teach guitar. I agreed, as any excuse to play the guitar on school time was cool with me, and it meant that I had a reason to stay after school and delay going home.
She made music so much fun. She seemed genuinely interested in me and that in turn made me want to achieve. I was like a sponge that could never soak up enough water. My every spare minute was spent hanging around the music room. By 16 I could think of nothing else that I would rather do with my life than to be a music teacher just liked her. By 18 I had mastered the basics of the piano, the clarinet and the recorder, the latter of which has brought a lifetime of friends and enjoyment.
I spent 4 years in college following the music teacher dream. I loved my college years, and I did teach for 2 years, but it was not for me. My life took another direction and I have very few regrets. What she had given me was belief in myself, and with that the whole world was at my command. To instill good self-esteem in a child is the greatest gift that you can give them. I owe my life to a talented teacher who happened to cross my path. I am grateful that I had the chance to tell her as much in some brief correspondence that we exchanged a year or so ago.
I thank you Lynda P. from the bottom of my heart. Rest in peace.
I was 14 when she came to our school. I had already taught myself to play the guitar and was on my way to becoming the next Joan Baez!! It was the latter part of the 60s, we all sang protest songs, put flowers in our hair and dreamed of going to San Francisco. I was a sorry depressed teenager, failing in school, with a miserable home life and few friends. The messages I received from every angle were ones of not reaching my potential; I didn't even know what that was, and had very little reason as so why should I aim for it.
She overheard me playing one day at recess and told me that she wanted to start a folk choir but needed someone to teach guitar. I agreed, as any excuse to play the guitar on school time was cool with me, and it meant that I had a reason to stay after school and delay going home.
She made music so much fun. She seemed genuinely interested in me and that in turn made me want to achieve. I was like a sponge that could never soak up enough water. My every spare minute was spent hanging around the music room. By 16 I could think of nothing else that I would rather do with my life than to be a music teacher just liked her. By 18 I had mastered the basics of the piano, the clarinet and the recorder, the latter of which has brought a lifetime of friends and enjoyment.
I spent 4 years in college following the music teacher dream. I loved my college years, and I did teach for 2 years, but it was not for me. My life took another direction and I have very few regrets. What she had given me was belief in myself, and with that the whole world was at my command. To instill good self-esteem in a child is the greatest gift that you can give them. I owe my life to a talented teacher who happened to cross my path. I am grateful that I had the chance to tell her as much in some brief correspondence that we exchanged a year or so ago.
I thank you Lynda P. from the bottom of my heart. Rest in peace.
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