Monday, August 10, 2009

If there is to be understanding...

Artist: Jan van Eyck
Image from Wikimedia Commons

Dear Readers,

I want to call your attention to an article that was sent to me by Teresa Wilbur, long time friend of St. John's Center. It is called Music: Essential for Life however the title does not begin to do justice to the power of the piece which is really an address to parents of incoming students at The Boston Conservatory.

I've always known that my years and years of training and professional work as a musician prepared me more than anything else possibly could have for my spiritual vocation. In fact, I have long been aware that the vocation is one. This brief piece by Dr. Karl Paulnack puts words to why that is true more eloquently than I have ever before experienced. And so I'm posting this on all three blogs today.

I will share only three sentences here:
If there is a future wave of wellness on this planet, of harmony, of peace, of an end to war, of mutual understanding, of equality, of fairness, I don't expect it will come from a government, a military force or a corporation. I no longer even expect it to come from the religions of the world, which together seem to have brought us as much war as they have peace. If there is a future of peace for humankind, if there is to be an understanding of how these invisible, internal things should fit together, I expect it will come from the artists, because that's what we do.
Please go read the whole thing. I promise you, you'll be glad you did.

And then listen to some good music today. Something beautiful. Something meaningful to you.

You'll be glad you did that too.
~~~

1 comment:

  1. This may be the saddest thing I have read. If he is right and any hope for peace for out world rests upon artists, we are doomed. Our world does not support the creativity which artists must have. Children are expected to be mini-adults and to all behave in the same cookie cutter way. This is not an environment which breeds creativity. As money becomes more and more scarce for schools, the arts are eliminated. Those looking for an expression of creativity such as dance, music, sculpture, photography etc. must have parents wealthy enough to pay for private lessons. This leaves such a large group in the next generation with no place to go for mentoring in the arts. It is so sad that once again our society has missed the boat on what is of value in our world.
    Carolyn L.

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