When having talents is a curse

My sweet band jacket.

I was a band geek :) This is tiny me inside the horn section cupboards.

10th grade recital at the Orpheum in Foxboro, MA.

This is just a stock photo of the Utah Symphony.

Many of you may or may not know that I play flute and piano. I took 8 years or so of flute lessons and I compose piano songs. No prodigy or anything... but I can play well if I practice. I perform better on flute, but most of my emotion goes into my piano.

Anyway... originally I had planned to keep up on my music to possibly get into music therapy, but now I'm aiming for dance therapy... not that I couldn't still go into music. Well, this is my path for now and because I play my flute less often I can sometimes have guilt trips. We don't have the time and energy to everything in life, though, as I've come to accept. I try to create opportunities for me to play, it's not so easy since it's not my focus in school and because the talent level here at BYU is so intimidating in the arts.

Last night I went on a date to see the Utah Symphony play here at BYU. The first things that came to my mind while watching were all my memories of performing in symphonic band, marching band, jazz band, flute choir, flute solo performances, a Canadian national contemporary competition, EFY, church, etc. I missed the feeling and the beauty that comes from stretching that part of the mind. I especially missed the beauty of creating harmony in band... realizing what you alone and collectively with the band can create. It's wonderful. I need to keep playing. Luckily, this summer I used birthday money to buy piano and flute music for me to practice... it helped while I was home, school is so busy, though.

The symphony was beautiful. We listened to Brahms.... and no worries, I stopped thinking of the past and just enjoyed the talents of others. We all have something some way or another to contribute to the world. Mine right now is dance and writing. In high school it was music and art and poetry. I'm sure it will rotate again eventually. :]

Oh... and the encouragement for the day - I'm sure most of you have felt similarly... don't let go of your gifts! And don't feel guilty about it.