REFLECTIONS: Touching the Infinite

Julia in front of Hogwarts Nichols School for brilliant students in Buffalo, NY.

On my desktop there's a note that reads: Julia practiced today.

Listening to my cousin play the piano was one of the great pleasures I enjoyed during my stay in Lockport, New York. Julia's fingers moved fast and confidently across the keys as the melody filled the house and swept you away. The more I thought about how many hours it took her to practice something so beautiful, the more I appreciated her music.

I think of it like two worlds separated by a thick wall: on one side, you have the infinite. It's where the song comes from; whole, perfect, and timeless. On the other side is our finite reality; the technical, key-by-key stroke labor of the pianist.

Julia shines with talent, yet she has something even more important: she hones her craft through practice. It's only through practice that the creator is able chisel away at that thick wall and bring forth the creation. It's as if the song wants to be played; it wants to be heard in its perfection. The artist's job is to facilitate the miracle that brings it to life, one keystroke at a time.

No one becomes a master by putting off the work. Hearing Julia play made me reflect on my own art: How often am I writing? What have I created lately? Am I challenging myself to improve?

She inspired me to create, to touch the infinite as she does. That's why I wrote that note on my desktop to remind me: Julia practiced today. Did you?