- He is 93 and about 4'10" which already makes him amazing.
- As a child, he sang at the Metropolitan Opera in a children's chorus under the baton of the great Giacomo Puccini
- He has conducted countless operas and musicals and composed and opera himself!
- He has many operas memorized, meaning he steps up to his podium, opens to page 1 of the score, raises his baton, and conducts the entire opera without turning a page. This is a magnificent ability if you consider that he must know every note written for every instrument (violin, horn, cello, oboe, harp, piano, voice) as well as the timing of each second, as well as the volume dynamic. Unreal!
- He is Nicholas Cage's uncle.
- His family created the Godfather films and he conducted the score.
Okay, now you have a picture of the magnitude of this man's life. Amanda and I, along with the a few other friends and colleagues, wait outside his dressing room until he invites us in. He shakes each hand as we enter being sure to ask our name and repeat it back to us. After we showered him in well-deserved accolades, he begins to address us with simple words the simply inspired me.
"Are you musicians?" (most of the group responds affirmatively) "Well, things are really bad right now so it's amazing to see young people like you interested in music. Just know that it isn't...hmmm...you know what, I don't want to discourage you. I grew up in the Great Depression wanting to be a musician and everyone discouraged me because there would be no money in it. But you have to do what you feel in here (patting his heart). You have to devote your life to what you are most passionate about, what makes you feel alive in here. I pursued music with my whole life. Looking back I realize that it probably wasn't the 'right' choice. But it is the only choice that made sense in here (heart) and I still love it today. You have to remain true to what you feel in your heart because that is all that will matter when it is all said and done."
Anything a 93 year old says, I am going to latch on to with a fierce grip. These words, however, gripped me. It was amazing to see such raw honesty. "I realize it probably wasn't the right choice." He admitted that the wisdom of those in his life was valid and that the difficulties in his chosen path were far greater than he could have anticipated. Yet it was still the only thing that struck a chord in his heart (pun-somewhat-intended).
My life is a little different from the average 20 year old. Many big choices have already been made, but in all honesty, there are still many open doors before me. How many times have I considered giving in to what makes more sense, seems more logical, and is just more beneficial? One dangerous habit I see in myself and in my peers is that we tend to make decisions based on the needs of the moment and leave our heart's passion aside waiting for everything to "look right" before we begin pursuing it. Perhaps this is a flaw of the youthful. Perhaps it is a flaw of humans. Whichever the case, it is fatal to defer the drive and zeal we have in our hearts.
Amanda commented on the way home that the reason Maestro was so healthy at such an age probably has much to do with the fact that he has spent his entire life doing what he loves. Being in a undesirable circumstance has a way of draining the life out of us. We have all had to do things we simply did not want to do and most of us exclaim quite dramatically, "This is killing me." Unfortunately, we often do not realize the reality of the lethal effects such a situation may have. If our life is void of passion, it is void. We must acknowledge the dreams in our hearts and pursue them! They are the pulse in our existence. Working a job to make ends meet can be pretty frustrating. However, working a job to make ends meet and seeing your dreams get further rather than closer is the lethal part. What I am saying is that you are responsible to pursue those God-given dreams in your heart that only you know about. Otherwise, you will find yourself empty and resentful in everything that you do.
Be warned, however, that even the life of your dreams can be quite a nightmare. Do not idolize your dream. Every path in life has dark, dark valleys. In fact, that is the whole purpose behind what I am saying. When you find yourself in a valley on the path of your dreams, you may feel like giving up. Yet in that moment, the one ray of hope that can get you through is the realization that "I am made for this."
Maestro's words reminded me of Paul's charge to Timothy. Paul has literally spent his life ministering the Gospel. Yes, he had to make tents on the side to support the ministry, but I can just see Paul biting his tongue as he fashioned those tents considering each one as the funding for one more soul to be saved and reminding himself, "I am made for this." Paul has been beaten, mocked, rejected, abused, and sentenced to death. In his last days before execution, Paul begins to communicate with a vibrant and hopeful young pastor named Timothy. He could have very well told Timothy, "Turn back while you can. Pursue law or farming and make a decent living, raise a family, live a comfortable life, die at an old age. The ministry has bucked me and then trampled upon my head. It is exhausting, frustrating, and painful." Yet, like Maestro did in front of me, I believe Paul still felt a flame in his heart when he pondered his life's passion of preaching the Word. He honestly and boldly exhorts Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:3-5:
"You're going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They'll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you're doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God's servant."
After nearly drowning in the ministry, Paul confidently looks back at Timothy and beckons, "Come on in, the water is fine!" He doesn't say it will be easy. He doesn't say people will respond well. But he DOES say that Timothy is called to serve in this way. He DOES say that Timothy is made for this.
Cue Maestro quote: "You have to remain true to what you feel in your heart because that is all that will matter when it is all said and done."
Please, consider your dreams well. Do not defer them any longer. Even if you can only take baby steps like journaling about what you want to do or making a five-year plan for how you might get your dream started-DO IT! By at least actuating our dreams we find meaning and hope to draw from in everything else. Knowing your purpose fills you with a sense (which means a motivating awareness) of purpose.
As all this is reeling through my head, Maestro concludes his brief but profound monologue. Then with the bravado that only a man of his status could carry, he looks at us and sharply says, "So, good luck and good bye."
Bravo Maestro...bravo.
0 comments:
Post a Comment