Surfing on the Waves of Love

Don’t think I’ve ever written a Blog post in a car, but here I am in an Uber (called “Grab”) in Singapore on my way to my Holiday Inn Hotel in Little India. 

Had a lovely day yesterday teaching a “non-jazz” Orff workshop to 30 people. My host Siew Ling kept insisting on group reflections during each of the 4 days of teaching and she was right. In order to lock any usable ideas in, they need to be said out loud and better yet, shared. I often am so impatient to fill every minute of the workshop with music that I often let this go and this was an important reminder. And also so satisfying for me to hear their takeaways and feel that they indeed, had some understanding of the key points I’m always hoping to make to transform their teaching. Many were heartfelt testimonies as to not only how they were inspired, but deeply touched by the little 7 hours of life we shared.

 

Walked the mile back to my hotel and had the good sense to plunge into the pool for one last swim. Perfect! Then send off the day’s notes, pack and turn to the plans for my next day teaching at XCL World Academy, where Brazilian friend Luciana teaches. It looked to be a full and challenging day, with three morning classes with 3rd, 4^th and 5^th grade — each one with 60 kids!! Then an improvisation class with twelve 12^th graders, another with twenty four 11^th graders and then a workshop for some 16 teachers at their staff meeting. 

 

I did it all and it was glorious. Yet another testimony that after four long days of teaching and then thrown into the challenge above, I should be exhausted, but nothing could be farther from the truth. I feel wholly energized and uplifted and ready to have dinner with another friend tonight. Because, as I say time and time again, when you know how to teach so it’s fun, the children pick up on it immediately and send all their happiness back to you. All the smiles and laughter and sheer joy comes back as energy that creates more energy. And then when the music is good, it’s another major jolt of energy charging every nerve, muscle, brain cells, heartbeat of the human organism. 

 

I am a deeply flawed human being like all of us with my fair share of disappointments, but when my activities are wholly aligned with what I do best, what I love most, what I value and care about, all of it echoing back to me in waves of love from the energies I set in motion and the people whose lives I touch, whether for a single class, a whole course or a long connection, well, then I might as well say it plainly.  I am the luckiest person alive. 

 

And now, I have arrived at the hotel.