As I wait at my kids' music school today, I'm tempted to learn more about these incredible teachers. How did they become such talented artists? How much of it was passion? Or are they just naturally gifted? Or maybe it's a factor of all but either way, they showed grit.
I remember one of my kids' piano teachers telling us her story of when she was young and just learning to play the piano. She explained that her parents couldn't afford to buy her a piano or a keyboard at the very beginning so she decided to draw out the keys on a paper and would practice at home with the paper, imagining the sounds the keys would make. To this day, her story amazes me.
I recently listened to the audiobook The Archer by Paulo Coelho. This is a book I think would make an incredible gift to anyone pursuing a passion. It is the story of a master archer and a boy who has searched for him to learn the archery. While the audiobook is so beautiful to listen to, I highly encourage reading the book to fully absorb the multitudes of wisdom in this book.
THE ARCHER BY PAULO COELHO
From the #1 best-selling author of The Alchemist comes an inspiring story about a young man seeking wisdom from an elder, and the practical lessons imparted along the way. Includes stunning illustrations by Christoph Niemann.“A novelist who writes in a universal language.” —The New York TimesIn The Archer we meet Tetsuya, a man once famous for his prodigious gift with a bow and arrow but who has since retired from public life, and the boy who comes searching for him. The boy has many questions, and in answering them Tetsuya illustrates the way of the bow and the tenets of a meaningful life. Paulo Coelho's story suggests that living without a connection between action and soul cannot fulfill, that a life constricted by fear of rejection or failure is not a life worth living. Instead one must take risks, build courage, and embrace the unexpected journey fate has to offer. With the wisdom, generosity, simplicity, and grace that have made him an international best seller, Paulo Coelho provides the framework for a rewarding life: hard work, passion, purpose, thoughtfulness, the willingness to fail, and the urge to make a difference.