Make Music with the Strings you have Left

 

Yitzhak Perlman was a great violinist who had suffered from polio as a child and walked with crutches and braces on both legs. During a 1995 concert a string on Perlman's violin suddenly snapped, and everyone in the audience could hear it. The great virtuoso stopped and gazed at the broken string as those in attendance that night wondered what he would do. Perlman closed his eyes, and after a moment of reflection, signalled the conductor to begin again. 

It must be impossible to play a great symphony with just three strings but Perlman was undaunted. He seemed to be re-composing the piece in his head as he went along, inventing new fingering positions to coax amazing sounds from his three string violin.

The audience watched and listened in awe, knowing they were witnessing a truly groundbreaking performance. When the piece was over they exploded into appreciative applause. Mr Perlman smiled, wiped the sweat from his brow, and said "you know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left."🕀

This is a time of great frustration and disappointment for millions, piled upon anger and grief caused by this dreadful pandemic. We are all curtailed in some way. Though here in our island home we are free of restrictions on our lifestyles and worship, the borders are closed and we feel keenly the sorrow of isolation from loved ones. 'Rock fever' is very real for some.

But - it is what it is. Restrictions are necessary in order to save lives. The instrument of our society is broken, so what kind of music will we make? Perlman's example reminds me of the book of Psalms, where although the writers were passing through deep trials and sorrows, they sang about their pain, and they sang about their God. Here, for instance, is one short song from Psalm 13:

How long, Lord? Will you forget me for ever?

    How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

    How long will my enemy triumph over me?

But I trust in your unfailing love;

    my heart rejoices in your salvation.

I will sing the Lord’s praise,

    for he has been good to me.

In our disappointment and grief today, let's decide to make music with the strings we have left, not to obsess about the ones that are denied us in this season.

May God help and strengthen us all in this crisis. 

🕀 Taken from Joni Eareckson Tada, A Place of Healing (David C Cook, Colorado Springs, 2010) 102

I was taught as a child to yell a loud "thank you" to the driver as I jumped down from the bus. Expressing our gratitude was expected of us as part of our growing up. It was simply regarded as good manners but I have come to see that there is much more to gratitude than this. Saying "thanks" is an important part of our humanity and offers dignity to the recipient as well as humility to the giver. Being unable to be grateful leads to a shrinking of our soul, a diminishing of our humanity, and a trip wire in our approach to relationships.

During the 75th anniversary commemorations of D-Day here in Britain and across the sea in Normandy we have heard several expressions of gratitude. Her Majesty the Queen ended her speech by saying thank you, as did President Trump, Monsieur Macron and Mrs Theresa May. In the presence of the veterans, most of them now in their 90s and perhaps there for the last time, it just seemed so appropriate to be grateful. These world leaders set the standard for us and spoke on our behalf, but they also gave a pointer to something that can really oil the wheels of our society and make a change for the better.

Diane and I will travel to Newcastle tomorrow. On Monday and Tuesday of next week I will be in two different hospitals there - the Freeman one day and the Royal Victoria the next. It is the second anniversary of the amazing space-age surgery that changed my life and set me free from 22 years of some of the worst physical pain known to humanity. I am really looking forward to seeing the Professor and other members of the team, looking them in the eyes and saying "thank you".

Gilbert K Chesterton said "I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder". Yet, maybe gratitude needs to be shown in more than words. Acts of kindness, enquiries about the well-being of others, even generous tipping can all be further expressions of such grace.

Respect has many outfits to wear and gratitude is one of them. So - let gratitude be your attitude!