Last weekend I had my first virtual concert from my living room. It may have looked flawless to you, but I had many doubts and concerns about it. ‘Would it sound like a performance?, What if the power goes off and the internet won’t work?, The creamy timbre and range of the piano can never be fully reproduced in a live streaming. Am I hurting myself as an artist by doing this?, Will people enjoy it?, Isn’t it better to wait until I can give a concert in person?’… You name it, I had it in my mind bank.
Then I thought about many lessons that I have learned whenever I pushed through something seemingly impossible or difficult. I always gained tremendous strength and a new perspective on life that I could not have learned in any way other than by being vulnerable in those situations.
So I decided to do it. Just like the from Nike logo says, Just Do It.
There were audiences from all over the world: Chile, Korea, England, Thailand, France, and Canada, and people loved it. The fact that I did it from the living room made it feel more personal and inviting. They said that it was very satisfying to have a little musical snack, and loved their front row view from the comfort of their homes.
What did I learn?
I learned the value of doing again. Something is always better than nothing. Done is always better than never finished. Instead of living in doubt and fear I came out of my cave and did it. After all, it was a very precious experience for me and the global audience, opening up a new possibility of sharing music for now or the long haul regardless of this pandemic. I smiled big after the concert, sensing a feel of accomplishment as I conquered another level of courage in the game of life.
One member of the audience commented;
Music gives me the experience of continuous presence. Music has the ability to hold you and keep you in the present moment, just like some friends who practice meditation say that it does that for them. But on the other hand music constantly moves, always going into the future and leaving the past behind. That music can combine these things is what gives it its unique ability to reveal the Nature of Reality to us. Thank you so much for giving us this gift. It was absolutely beautiful.
I’ll be 90 in March. I’ won’t stay in this world for long. But will definitely meet and enjoy all your live concerts in heaven! I loved it.
What about you?
Is there anything in your life that you doubt? Please consider shutting your inner thoughts and just doing the very thing that you fear or that exists only in your head. If anything, you will learn another wonderful lesson and the action of pushing your limit will reward you with another dose of strength to fuel your life afterwards.
Jeeyoon
