Hello everyone. I haven't posted here since March and I've missed you all. There's been so much pain in the world, so much struggle and sadness, I thought I'd stop by and spread a little 'antidote'. It doesn't solve anything, but I hope it gives you some light. But first (on me:) I've had some health matters, treatments, some close souls who've been through a lot, and (well) just age. I think that's ok for 75 years of age. But I will comment on all of you, but I will only be able to comment on one image for each of you, for which I ask forgivehess: It's been a long time for me, and I don't have it in me (right now) for long sessions...But I've seen everything you've posted, and I hope my comments will show how much I've appreciated it all. The passage (below): This is a quote from a piano teacher when I was 12. She was from Russia, and had hellish memories of what she'd seen "back there". War, death, loss, despair...She was in her 70s when I studied with her, she spoke in a crackling voice---with such sweetness, you'd have thought she was a young child---her eyes glowed, her gestures glowed, and she took me into the deep and endless worlds of classical music as if into a magic kingdom... One day I was bold enough to ask: "With all you've seen, how do you keep such positive love? Don't you wanna just 'shut down'? Do you ever not wanna teach today?" She was surprised, but then answered. The below passage is what she said. All my love to all of you, and the hope that you can find the light that helps you rise above all pain. I hope the world gets much better, and everywhere....blessings to everyone, mark ------------------ (This is from the best of my memory:) ...why do I still teach, you ask? To nurture the gift in all of you. To say, "look! This gift, it's yours! You're on fire inside! Do you see? You're a lamp!" Then I lean into them and say: "Now go into the world and glow". My job is to show you your glow, then help you bring it to the world... (She sighed.) What I've seen, what I've been through...the police states---if you know what that is---people dying...I lost my whole family back then...you don't forget these things, you never forget these things. And some people ask" "Is music your 'refuge'?" And I think: Ach: How do I answer... No, I answer: it's not a refuge. I mean, it's not a place you go to get away from the world. (She leaned forward:) It IS the world, do you understand? It's the lamp that's always there, glowing underneath everything...and it's deeper than all the pain in the world, than all the loss and the hell and everything else. It's the foundation, the rock-bottom. And, music is just one expression of it. What I mean is, that core light comes from holding someone you love. It comes from kissing a loved one on the cheek when they're buried in their pain and can't see their way out, and they look up and say, "thank you." It's from making someone laugh who needs it so badly, and afterwards, they're renewed, reborn. These are easy words, but I've lived them, I know their meaning: I've come from war, seen the loss of people who were the closest in my life, and I walked into the world the next day and saw a young couple holding hands, and there was sucn real love in their eyes, I thought: They're on fire. And I knew this was the thing that's as deep as loss. Terror is overwhelming, but love is even moreso. It's essential. It's the core... So when I teach you Chopin (she pointed to the music): this monster Ballade you're ready to throw out the window---yes, yes, you are, come on, you're ready to throw it out and say, "no more! I can't play this!" I'm saying: "See the light in this music? Take it inside you and mix your light with it: And the result will be two lights, ready to be given to the world! My job is to guide you to that light, and then teach you to give it to others---so they can find their light. It's a relay, do you see? A passing of the torch. Art doesn't erase pain, it takes us beyond it. Do you understand? Am I talking beyond you? (I said, "I think I understand...") Good! You'll understand more as you go along, don't worry...Now (the terrifying question:) Have you practiced? (I crouched.) Oh come on---you've practiced, I know...you're just overwhelmed by the music. But it's speaking to you---from the depths! Now, meet it, grapple with it, make it yours. You ready? Still don't understand? Look at it this way, Mark: I walk with pain in one hand, but light in the other; and I always say: May the light be brighter than the pain---so I can give it to others who need it. Does that answer you? ("Yes," I said, humbly). Good! Now to the music! (She turned to the passage:) You ready? I nodded. Good! Now, play... ------------