As a pianist, the word 'rest' takes on an entirely different meaning when reading and playing music. The rest symbol simply means,
"stop playing here."
I was reminded today how life's events can suddenly force us in a different direction or cause us to come to a screeching halt. And often times, we're led in a direction that we ought to have chose for ourselves. Painful, stressful, upsetting and unnerving, perhaps we should take advantage of these times and interpret the interruption as an opportunity for rest--a much needed chance for renewal.
When I'm accompanying a soloist or playing along with other musicians, it's important for me to obey the rest. While each note is important, so are the holds, changes in key or tempo, volume and dynamics. Every written symbol, every note and instruction serves a purpose--to give instruction in how to play beautiful music.
The inactivity during a rest doesn't imply that the musician is finished playing or that the end of the song is near. And a life-altering change doesn't mean that your life is finished. A rest is a time of preparation for what's to come. There's more music to play! There's more life to live!
To live a good and influential life (notice I didn't say perfect life), we need stops, starts, do-overs and rests along the way. We need the changes in direction that will allow us ample time to gear up for what's down the road, for what we can't see. When our ears hear heartless words, we need to find quiet...or how else will we hear our own hearts?
Just like the rest symbol in music, a life's rest is simply that time or occasion when we ready ourselves to make more beautiful music.
"Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Mark 6:31
I was reminded today how life's events can suddenly force us in a different direction or cause us to come to a screeching halt. And often times, we're led in a direction that we ought to have chose for ourselves. Painful, stressful, upsetting and unnerving, perhaps we should take advantage of these times and interpret the interruption as an opportunity for rest--a much needed chance for renewal.
When I'm accompanying a soloist or playing along with other musicians, it's important for me to obey the rest. While each note is important, so are the holds, changes in key or tempo, volume and dynamics. Every written symbol, every note and instruction serves a purpose--to give instruction in how to play beautiful music.
The inactivity during a rest doesn't imply that the musician is finished playing or that the end of the song is near. And a life-altering change doesn't mean that your life is finished. A rest is a time of preparation for what's to come. There's more music to play! There's more life to live!
To live a good and influential life (notice I didn't say perfect life), we need stops, starts, do-overs and rests along the way. We need the changes in direction that will allow us ample time to gear up for what's down the road, for what we can't see. When our ears hear heartless words, we need to find quiet...or how else will we hear our own hearts?
Just like the rest symbol in music, a life's rest is simply that time or occasion when we ready ourselves to make more beautiful music.
"Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Mark 6:31
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