Any Size

There are certain quotes that stick with us and it’s worth noticing which and why. For me, one of them has been Gary Snyder’s Zen teacher telling him that the key thing is to “sweep the garden” Meaning, the actual caretaking of one’s outer life, but also one’s inner life, clearing the mind through the daily practice of meditation. He then adds: “Any size.”

 

So when it comes to the outer life, we’re programmed to believe that size matters. Then for something to be significant and worthy of public attention, you need to hit a minimum number of Facebook likes or book/record sales or number of people attending your Orff workshop. And generally, size indicates something— whether what you have to say or do or express in a multitude of possibilities captures the attention of others and sweeps through a large collective consciousness. But in the end, no matter if you have 10,000 fans screaming at your rock concert or one person deeply moved in your house concert. The important thing is the integrity and depth of your offering.

 

By all accounts, my reputation through all these long years of teaching kids and giving workshops, now amplified by my 10 published books, CD recording, Blog, podcast, film, continued schedule of Orff courses worldwide might attract people’s attention, cause them to give up their Saturday plans and think, “I gotta check this guy out.” 

 

But with the 9 people who came to my workshop today, it seems “not so.” But following “any size,” we went on to spend six delightful hours together playing great music and thoroughly enjoying each other. Wonderful people all and some moments of powerful music and hilarious expressive movement. Went right to the edge of the 3:00 ending and then off to the Bill and Hilary Clinton Airport to begin my long flight to Brazil. Where they’re currently calling me to board. 

 

Thanks to Little Rock, home of the Waffle House and $2.59 gas prices (!!) and the incomparable IJ Routen, who was a gracious and always engaging host. And now, evoking Fred and Ginger “flying down to Rio”, though I’m going to Sao Paulo first. Next post I’ll be in my shorts and short-sleeved shirt and happily reunited with so many Brazilian friends and colleagues who have studied with me in San Francisco, Salzburg, Ghana, New Orleans and Brazil.