The other day feeling blue, I went into a music shop for value oil and the man in there was so generous with his being. I felt like I was drowning in my inner high seas. Being in that hidden-from-the-brash-outside-world place accompanied by a happy man in touch with his humanness was as if he had let me rest on his sturdy, secure boat and be still for a while. I guess he had no idea that he had given me a much needed breather. I also guess that we don’t know that we do this for others when we are strong ourselves. Sometimes the most important things we do for others we are completely unaware of.
Mr. Fredrick did that for me throughout MY ENTIRE childhood. I didn’t know. I don’t know if he knew. I remember being sick as a 9-year old and faking that I was well so to be able to go to school and have my half hour lesson with him. I remember being ‘inspected’ by both my mum and my teacher and being able to fool them. I had my music class. Then I collapsed and had to go home.
As a teenager the classes with Mr Fredrick were a stable place in an ever moving world.
And now music helps me through the ups and downs of life. I don’t know how, but like swimming that somehow mysteriously washes away excess emotions, playing the trumpet/tuba also helps me to come back into a more stable me.
THANK YOU Mr Fredrick for teaching me so much about being human.
