Friday, February 12, 2010

Smiling by Choice

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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Not much today either. I worked out. It feels so good to be getting back into my training routine. I also thought a lot about the date of the wedding.

Thought of the day:

“Learn from the mistakes of others.
You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.”
(Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady 1933 – 1945 and Reform Leader)

Do I need to say that I totally love this quote? My students have heard me say something like this for ever; to observe and learn from others’ experiences. Life can be so much easier when we do.


I think that is partly why, when I am working on a concert, I listen to music, and listen, and listen, and listen, and listen. And now, with the wedding, I am watching anything and everything wedding on TV. I think it helps me process the do’s and don’ts, get ideas, and figure out what is right for us.


Wednesday, February 10, 2010

I worked on some home flower arrangements today. Next step is to work on the flowers for the wedding and probably go and get some more.

Thought of the day:

“When I fight about what is going on in the neighborhood,
or when I fight about what is happening to other people’s children,
I’m doing that because I want to leave a community
and a world that is better than the one I found.”
(Marion Wright Edelman; Lawyer, Educator, and Activist)

When I do what I do in music, is because I believe – as corny as it may sound – in the power that it has. I believe that music reaches people far and beyond what words on their own can. It is a loyal friend who is by our side at the most important and memorable moments of our life. It will keep us company when we are down and help us get through those dark and cold nights. It will make special moments even more special and will put a smile in our hearts.


Music can reach out to everybody and can open doors that otherwise would remain closed. It teaches us about life and it keeps our children involved in something they can share and be proud of.


If we can leave a miniscule fraction behind of what the great ones did, then the world will be better and, maybe, someone will be happier if even for a few moments.


Thursday, February 11, 2010

I met with Jeanne for lunch. As always, she helped me clear my mind and put things in perspective regarding the date and time of the wedding.

Thought of the day:

“We have no choice of what color we’re born
or who our parents are or whether we’re rich or poor.
What we do have is some choice over what we make of our lives once we’re born.”
(Mildred D. Taylor, Author)

The truth is everyone has a story to tell. As children, we do not have much say in what happens in our lives. As adults, we do.


Many times I wondered what makes two individuals with the same background go in opposite directions. The bottom line, life is a choice. We have a choice; it might be a difficult one, but the choice is there. So, regardless of how things were or are, we can choose our direction. We can choose who we share with and we can choose how to live.


Matt and I found each other, chose each other and choose to live with a smile on our face and in our hearts. There is always a grumpy day, sometimes even gloomy, and sometimes very difficult. But we always come back to us and make each other smile and laugh and remind each other that we have a choice. Hey, at the end of the day, a smile is just a frown turned up side down; isn’t it? ;-)

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