Blog Pos #28: And She Ran

I went on a 7-mile run today in the afternoon sun today, with a person I kinda-sorta knew from high school. I also enjoyed a Costco run with my mom, and yes it did involve a sample mini pancake and a short trip into the cooler where I gazed longingly at the green grapes. Also, I had a mini-hydroplane moment driving in the rain earlier with my sister, on the way to play piano in a small but bright and colorful church, where I came to the realization that this world needs art. Not musical prodigies everywhere, but people who create art everywhere. Another day of not practicing my own solo piano repertoire. My therapist asked me an important question a few days ago. “Laura, imagine you had spent your whole summer staying inside and practicing piano. Would you have preferred that to how you actually spent your summer?” And I couldn’t say yes. I made a lot of important self-discoveries this summer, created a lot of new memories. I spent my summer living. I can be a musician who also loves running and eating green grapes and staring at the rain. That just makes me a human being. Haruki Murakami is a world-famous author, who writes award winning books, but he also enjoys running marathons. This world needs people who create art everywhere. Not every pianist must spend every waking second at the piano, actually, I don’t think any pianist does. No, I don’t compete on international piano stages, or give masterclasses in ivory towers, but I don’t need to. As long as I keep making music, the way I want to make it, I’m doing my part.