Are you ok? 

It’s not a trivial question, is it? 

In fact, I think it should be asked more often. It is an invitation to share if you so choose. Sometimes we just need to talk things through. We aren’t looking for any advice or direction, just a ‘listening ear’. It feels good to express ourselves and share what is going on for us. It’s a question that can lift the burden that we sometimes carry just dealing with everyday life let alone the enormity of what is currently happening in the world. Personally, I am a very happy hermit. I enjoy my own company but even someone like me needs a friendly encounter with others to talk through, well, ‘stuff’.

I was on Zoom this morning at 5.30 am to meet with an amazing group of people in America who are getting together each week to talk about how we are all travelling in our respective endeavours. The group is facilitated by a friend for whom I have the utmost respect. She is an incredible leader and our conversation meandered around how we are all managing, the resilience we need to build in our kids NOW to prepare them to face hard times, whether or not those in charge of dealing with this crisis will still be in charge afterwards and how one creative idea can inspire the next creative step. A kaleidoscope of fertile ‘food for thought’.

I was talking about how I was running a 500 Minute Piano-a-thon for the kids in my studio this week to raise money for Beyond Blue. A 15-year-old student had just finished playing ‘The Entertainer’ by Scott Joplin for two 11 year girls on the call with their parents. I asked if she had any advice for the younger girls and proceeded to be riveted by the wisdom she imparted! 

Strands of gold. 

She very eloquently explained that even when you don’t feel like it, 

even when you feel like giving in, 

even when things seem too hard to play and you feel like you will never be able to do it, 

even when you wonder if you would be better off somewhere else, 

even when you want to do your own thing, 

do your homework, follow Jo’s instructions and 

NEVER GIVE UP!!! 

She explained how she had been through all of those feelings over the past few years and how now she absolutely loves playing her own music. A very proud teacher moment.

To learn more, email joanne@rhythmandtunes.com.au with your best contact number and I will be in touch!