Thank You for Sharing Your Promises
It’s been such a whirlwind with the festival that I haven’t yet had the chance to process my feelings from the recital. In the midst of jumping immediately into the next project, I almost bypassed the most important part - the reflection. That invaluable last step in any journey to fully feel and complete an experience we worked so hard to create. To appreciate and to remember, archive, document with care for safekeeping. "
9.19.2022 “Save as” … core memory.
I’ve written enough cheesy declamations of my love and gratitude. I’ll let these notes speak for themselves. I only got to open them a few days ago, and they gave me such hope. I couldn’t stop smiling. Particularly at a time when I felt burnt out, discouraged, a little … blank - these words reminded me, that we were all together, that we were present, we created the emoting that is so wondrous and touching.
So, thank you, each and every one of you.
My heart is with you all.
Thank you for your attention, thank you for your promises, your sincerity, your warmth, you presence. It was such a blessing to share this experience with each and everyone of you. We did it. We created this moment together. “The Story of Us”.
Now, here are your words. <3
They inspire me. The fill me with such hope.
“During this sonata [Fazil Say], I ask that you think about a promise you’d like to make. A hope for yourself, for someone else, or the community at large. Write it down twice, once on each piece of paper. Keep one for yourself, and during intermission, place the other in this collective bowl.”
“Here is to reflection on our simple presence. What is presence? a warm body, a beating heart, a searching mind? Here is to caressing this presence of every being. Here is to allowing for every soul a space of honor wherever and however they are. Here is to listening and understanding each other. Always seeking more of another’s soul.”
“I will care about other people as well as about my own well being”
“Be a good boyfriend.”
“I promisee to never take for granted beauty and freedom in my life.”
“I promise to choose kindness. I won’t give up. On kindness. On its power: When one succeeds, we all succeed. I will fight for your right to succeed. I won’t give up. I won’t grow cold. I will choose warmth.”
“To support music educators.”
“I promise to be more eco-friendly <3”
“Reconciliation”
“I promise to eat healthier and have more sex”
“I will try to assume good intent when a motive is unknown and try to see the best in people.”
“Embrace life. Bring love to others <3”
“I promise myself I will always be grateful and I promise you I will never rest”
“I promise to take care of my loved ones, no matter the personal cost”
“I will write down experiences that have shaped me + also learn about others’ experiences”
“I’ll have a better attitude towards life”
“I promise to be humble and grateful for and to myself.”
“I promise to be more positive.”
“To be kind to strangers. Be present and attentive to loved ones. Exist outside of my own ego. Love deeply, love freely, be kind for no reason, be generous, share, give, extend, act how you would want someone to treat you. Release attachment. Be curious. Be caring. Give freely. Set kind boundaries. Act on desires. Try new things. Do things that scare you. Be authentic. Be genuine with words.”
