Music has been an emotional and spiritual ministration and outlet for me for as long as I can remember. As a young child I remember hearing my mom play piano and seeing the quiet joy in her face and in her being. As a shy adolescent, music was a virtual sanctuary, something I could experience that made no demands on me to have the right words or exude an engaging charisma. That relationship with music has continued throughout my adulthood, providing a balm during grief, a means of expressing and celebrating inner joy, and a quieting place for my anxious soul.
During the recent weeks of isolation and social distancing, music has continued to be my companion and an outlet for expressing feelings I can’t otherwise articulate. On a recent walk, I witnessed a “porch concert”, something I’d heard was happening, but hadn’t yet witnessed. I relished the connection it made between all of us that were present in scattered form.
Recently, I’ve taken to playing piano during short breaks from my at-home workday. Sometimes it’s as short as two minutes, other times maybe 20 minutes or more. The link below is a short piece by Robert Schumann that I’ve occasionally played during these one of these short breaks. It’s “Von fremden Landern und Menschen” (About strange Lands and People) from his collection titled “Kinderscenen” (Scenes from Childhood).
