Thankful
2020 has been a hard year*, so, both personally and professionally, I have attempted to practice gratitude. I am deeply aware of the amount of privilege I experience on a daily basis. Here is a small sampling of things for which I am thanking God this week, in no particular order:
My job, which I could keep doing in the pandemic. While there has been a huge learning curve involved in switching to online teaching, and while the lack of performance and collaborative opportunities has been distressing to say the least, I have been blessed to teach with no interruption this year.
My students and their families. I am proud to say that I didn’t lose one student (other than those who graduated!) this year. In fact, my studio grew in this time! This is because I have amazing piano parents who have invested in their children’s music education. THANK YOU. The unexpected teaching blessing of 2020 was that a college-aged student who had been away from lessons for 5 years returned for lessons while she was stuck home in her parents’ house. We worked on Bach and Debussy and Haydn….what a delight.
The internet. Well, actually, I have a thanks, no-thanks, relationship with this one. However, being able to connect with family, colleagues, students, and friends in new ways has been life-giving, for the most part. And this blog would not have started without the internet or the pandemic!
The countless creatives who are making art despite it all. We have enjoyed pre-recorded or live-streamed operas, ballets, concerts, and most importantly, church services this year. I know from the inside that the amount of work this takes is monumental.
The music of Bach. I know you all know this by now, but I love Bach. And something about practicing Bach during the pandemic has been monumentally therapeutic for me. Also, listening to Bach, particularly through the Netherlands Bach Society “All of Bach” project, has brought me great joy.
Our house. Those of you who know me personally know that, after a long wait, our family purchased a larger home in October 2018. While it has not been without its challenges (any other old home owners reading this?!), enduring the pandemic in our previous home would have been much more challenging.
Our grand piano. Similarly, we miraculously were able to purchase our Yamaha C2 in March 2019, and it has been nothing but a blessing. Even though I am thankful for our old Yamaha upright which faithfully gave us 14 years and endured my masters degree, I cannot imagine how I would feel if had we been doing everything music-related on it now.
Family time, and the fact that I have great kids. My kids are nut jobs. But they are my nut jobs, and I love them dearly. And I will play board games and eat waffles with them til this whole thing is over. I’m also thankful for my kids’ teachers who have worked tirelessly to make remote learning work. We have been blessed with some wonderful education opportunities this year.
My husband, who recently recovered from COVID-19. The days where he was asleep more than he was awake reminded me once again of the joy he brings to our house and the ways he sacrifices day in, day out, hour after hour. We are all glad he’s back to making his terrible jokes.
What are you thankful for?
*This has been objectively qualified as the biggest understatement of all time. Nevertheless, it was a necessary starting point for this post.
