Thank you

I did the first of my piano recitals last night, the most difficult of the two because I had to play that darn Beethoven that I have complained so much about, plus a Clementi and a Kuhlau Duet. Went well, didn't play near as well as I would have hoped but my hands are really well trained and when I get started crooked they just seem to know how to bail me out. I deleted a couple of runs that were just too risky and improvised them...worked OK. Remind me to avoid pieces that accentuate the 4 crosses with these hands. They just hurt when I do too many of those crosses. Maybe I should just stick with chords and/or slow pieces.

But that was not really my topic. Several of my students brought me flowers (the best kind, home grown) and cards (equally as perfect as they were home made). Why is it we, as a society, believe it is not important to say thank you. Even more so, not even acknowledge that something kind has been done. Are we really so selfish that a short note is too much of an investment? I don't do things for the thanks, but it sure makes me want to invest the next time and when no thanks come occasion after occasion I just kind of stop investing my thoughts and send (or not) perfunctory things.

I think the ones that hurt the most are the ones that you really invest in. I am not talking money here but thought and love. You spend hours and hours working on something either physically or mentally. You give something that you are so heavily invested in and they either say nothing or a short little thanks. I walk away feeling like I have made a huge mistake and that I should not have done what I did. Does that mean I give for recognition? I don't think so, I guess I just need the validation that you appreciated what came your way as much as I invested in giving same to you. Tough subject, and for those that don't subscribe it is a subject that causes much hurt. I just know beyond the shadow of a doubt that the vast majority of problems in this world could be solved if people would just express, either verbally or physically, their thanks. We are told to offer our thanks in prayers, but we also need to offer them to each other.

That said, I had a wonderful whirlwind of a trip to Utah for Garret's blessing and I am beyond words thankful that I have the family that I have, one and all. I hope my actions as well as my words convey that because I try to do that. And now my actions must convey paint to the walls of the bedroom at the beach. Ah the variance of the word convey!!!