Growing up as a military kid meant one thing--moving. I don't know exactly why it worked this way, but my Dad's moving orders were always scheduled for July. So every other July (more or less), we packed up the mini-van and went on that three week vacation before landing in our new state. Our vacations were awesome--awesomely predictable. My dad had the Holiday Inn Hotel directory, and we managed to stay in a Holiday Inn every 200 miles en route. So, I think I can proudly say that I have personally stayed at every Holiday Inn in the Mid-west ( I know, cheesy, somebody please pull me off the stage.)
Every road trip, we would make our way to Michigan--and there, I would find my personal paradise --my cousin's music collection. My cousins were always extremely generous and I would get to walk away with all the popular music of the day. You see, most of the time I was sooo serious about my music education--I would generally only listen to classical music, thinking that if I surrounded myself with classical music all the time--I would get ahead. But when we were on road trips, I was on vacation from my violin education and would explore the music I felt like "normal" people got to listen to--I felt like I was really living.
Now that several years have passed, I look back and think, I put too much pressure on myself as a kid. Too much pressure to be the greatest student, greatest performer--the wonder of wonders. There is something to be said about being diligent and disciplined--but there is also something to be said for living a balanced life.
Well, it's July. I don't move from state to state anymore, but now I make it a point to live with more balance in my life--all of the time--well, most of the time---ok, some of the time. But for you my students and blogger friends--study hard but give yourself a gift-- live a balanced life all of the time---then, you'll be really living.
Every road trip, we would make our way to Michigan--and there, I would find my personal paradise --my cousin's music collection. My cousins were always extremely generous and I would get to walk away with all the popular music of the day. You see, most of the time I was sooo serious about my music education--I would generally only listen to classical music, thinking that if I surrounded myself with classical music all the time--I would get ahead. But when we were on road trips, I was on vacation from my violin education and would explore the music I felt like "normal" people got to listen to--I felt like I was really living.
Now that several years have passed, I look back and think, I put too much pressure on myself as a kid. Too much pressure to be the greatest student, greatest performer--the wonder of wonders. There is something to be said about being diligent and disciplined--but there is also something to be said for living a balanced life.
Well, it's July. I don't move from state to state anymore, but now I make it a point to live with more balance in my life--all of the time--well, most of the time---ok, some of the time. But for you my students and blogger friends--study hard but give yourself a gift-- live a balanced life all of the time---then, you'll be really living.
