Music, Story

"You know, sometimes it is the artists task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left."

The line above is from Itzhak Perlman, a violinist. When he was child, he needs the aid of two crutches to be able for him to walk because he was stricken with polio. Since he's a performer, it is painful to look at him, walking across the stage everytime he performs.

On November 18, 1995, he rendered a concert in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. As he started playing his majestic piece, silence permeate the auditorium. Unluckily, something went wrong as he hit the first few bars. One of his violin's strings abruptly collapsed. With that, everyone in the hall thought that he would have went down the stage to either find another string or a new violin but he didn't - the crowd was startled. Despite of what had happened, Perlman continued to perform where he had left off. He stupendously played with such passion and power like they never had heard before. It is very hard, or might I say, impossible to play with three strings and still create a symphonic play. Nevertheless, Perlman made a verily fantastic performance. When he's done with the performance, there was an interminable silence roam inside the hall then the audience stood and cheered him, a marvelous outburst of applause dominated in every corner of the hall.

After he performed with his three stringed violin, he uttered the line aforementioned - such a very powerful message.

In this precarious world, when we were so prepared, in full battle gear to sail in the ocean of life, a raging storm suddenly came and hit us — a life changing event. And that might leave us partly disrupted or broken. But however, it doesn't follow that we'll let ourselves get drowned. We will still continue to sail with what we have and what is left on us.

Life offers a lot of surprises—tons of unexpected events. Sometimes, when we get struck by the ever changing nature of life, we find it real hard to recover. However we should not be deterred, like what Itzhak Perlman did. Instead, let's create an inspiring music that will render strength to other to continue battling in their respective battles. Do not be troubled if the world turns against you in an instant. You might say "I can't do it", "I think I cannot make it", or "Maybe this is how things is going to end". Before you finally give up, ask yourself these questions, "Is this how I want my story to end?" or "Can I make myself a legend?"

As a Japanese verse says "fall seven times, get up eight times". Be unshamed.

(Photo credit to: JHCNoel)