Wednesday, November 18, 2009

make music with what remains




A story from Rabbi Harold Schulwies:

We have seen Yitzhak Perlman

Who walks the stage with braces on both legs,

On two crutches.

He takes his seat, unhinges the clasps of his legs,

Tucking one leg back, extending the other,

Laying down his crutches, placing the violin under his chin.

On one occasion one of his violin strings broke.

The audience grew silent but the violinist didn’t leave the stage.

He signaled the maestro, and the orchestra began its part.

The violinist played with power and intensity on only three strings.

With three strings, he modulated, changed, and

recomposed the piece in his head.

He retuned the strings to get different sounds,turned them upward and downward.

The audience screamed delight,applauded their appreciation.

Asked later how he had accomplished this feat,

the violinist answered

It is my task to make music with what remains.

A legacy mightier than a concert.

Make music with what remains.

Complete the song left for us to sing,transcend the loss,play it out with heart, soul, and might

with all remaining strength within us.

It is my task to make music with what remains.


I would have loved to see that concert!

5 comments:

Umā said...

This is a beautiful sentiment for me to read here today Wanda; my family of four is in the midst of losing one of our strings. Thanks.

Deb Shucka said...

I love this thought. It's so profound, especially for those of us whose early life broke more than a few strings. Great picture, too.

Carrie Wilson Link said...

GREAT story! Great motto!

Susan O'Neil said...

Sing your song, even if it's 'off key'. What an amazing story.

And as for that adorable kitty cat whom I would be irritating at every moment by kissing his sweet belly, how in heck did he get so big so fast? Shows what love can do.

SE'LAH... said...

lovely thought.

side note: the kitties are growing up so fast. wow.