The Pauses in Between

I have shown several posts with my beloved piano. My parents bought that piano when I was 8 or 9 years old, so I think it is just about ready to be classified as an antique.  My mom, in particular, wanted us to have the opportunity to play the piano and to dance, and so she made sure we took lessons in both. She and my father also bought our brand new piano. When I got my own house, my husband and I got to bring the piano to our home because I was the only one who continued playing.

I think of it as my fireplace mantel for decorating.

Yet the piano is so much more than a piece of furniture. When I play the piano, I am in the moment and am not worrying about lists or other things I need to do. I find that I can get into a near-meditative state when I play. I am only focused on the notes in front of me and things like tempo, key signature, musicality, dynamics. When I play at church, which, admittedly, is one of the few places where I play on a regular basis, I am transported from my daily life.

Pianist Artur Schnabel said this: "The notes I handle no better than many pianists. But the pauses between the notes—ah, that is where the art resides." in Chicago Daily News, June 11, 1958. I like to think of this quote as a guide for life: the pauses in between our busy-ness is where the art in life resides. Music is a great way to find that.

Where do you find your pauses in between?  Nicole