A student came into my lesson today and even though I had something to offer, it was obvious it was not what he needed. Things quickly shifted from offering to receiving, and thus, hopefully, sharing in a different way. Listening is an important part of music. I'm just hoping that I heard his thoughts as fully as possible. I suppose that can never truly be the case.
After another great Feldenkrais session, I took the train home. There are so many people that ask for food and money in New York that it upsets me to always blankly be saying no, or looking away or just staring at my book. I decided that when possible, I would always give a quarter. It isn't much, but it's something and it's something that I can give every time asked and not loose much, even if it goes somewhere I'd choose against.
One woman got on the train and asked for food and I had none to give. Another man came on the train singing America the Beautiful, harmonizing himself a cappella, singing beautifully. "I'm not homeless, I'm not hungry. Contribute if you like what you hear, or hear what you like. I also take bribes." He joked around, observing all the people on the train and the way they avoided his eye contact, despite his lack of pleading. I would have given him a dollar the way another woman did, but I didn't have any money, not even my quarters with me. Regardless, it felt good to be able to look at both of them as humans, knowing that I really would have given something had I had it.
Sometimes we're not prepared for what comes to us.
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