More on the Kindness of Encouragement

"There are high spots in all of our lives and most of them have come about through encouragement from someone else."
― George Matthews Adams

Playing violin on stage is definitely one of the highlights of my life.  But if anyone had told me that I would be able to do that three years ago, I never would have believed it.

Last night, I played in the final concert of violin camp.  I managed to play with my group class -- never easy for me because I get confused when I play with others and I also get stage fright (not exactly a winning combination).  At the end of the concert, there was a play down where people join in as they know the songs being played.  The stage was already pretty full and as I approached it, I saw a music stand next to the stairs leading to the stage.  Given that I feel more secure when I have the music in front of me, I thought I would just play from there.  But my violin teacher, Ashley Liberty, saw me and grabbed the music stand and hoisted it on stage, so that I could play with everyone else.  There I was, back on stage, playing the songs I knew and singing "We Shall Overcome."  Definitely a high point.

When I looked at the photos of the concert today, I saw the crowded stage, all the children (including mine), the very talented and inspiring teachers, the well-known Mark O'Connor and then in a corner, me playing next to Ashley.  And I realized that I would never have been up there without her kindness. 

An incredibly talented violinist, Ashley was my children's violin teacher.  When I mentioned in passing that I had always wanted to play the violin, she said would teach me.  She was patient and creative as she adapted her teaching methods to this hesitant adult learner.  And she has encouraged me at every turn.  She has had me play in recitals and invited me to violin camp.  And, of course, as these things go, my playing the violin is about so much more than just learning to play an instrument -- it's about the dream and the journey and all the lessons we learn along the way.

Encouraging someone involves listening to their dreams, taking them seriously and then helping them along.  It is a gift of extraordinary kindness.  And I am eternally grateful to Ashley for her generosity.