this evening i was thinking (dangerous? yes!!) of how very lucky i feel to be able to play (the piano and the violin) "by ear"....it's that strange skill that makes one very valuable as a church musician and not valuable as much else! *wink* i do not say this in any sort of bragging way (believe me, i know my limitations!) but because (hopefully) it fits my larger point...
doing music "by ear" has less to do with training and skill than innate abilities, i think...and it has a lot to do with tones...with understanding the complexities of musical structures and how they fit together by heart more than by theory...how nuances complement or create discord....how tiny differences in inflections when singing or playing make large differences in what is perceived by the person hearing the music you're producing. Strangely, so much of this process comes so naturally for some....and not so much for others. When a person is tone-deaf it means (per the dictionary) that they are unable to distinguish differences in pitch in musical sounds when producing or hearing them. We can all think of examples of some dear person who so diligently sings with no real concept of the quality of sound they are producing! Science shows us that differences in musical ability have much to do with brain composition, including issues of density and lobe connectivity. While i know very little about these complex issues! i have been exposed to information and learned much because of observing my Mother suffer musical losses from the brain damage her stroke caused. Putting aside her grief and my own about these losses, i've found learning about these brain functions so very interesting and fascinating! we truly are fearfully and wonderfully made....
i say all of that because i think tone-deafness relates to many life issues....
(i am probably not able to fully explain what i'm feeling and thinking but i'm going to plunge in anyway!:)
the ability to distinguish the tones of what we're saying!! how we're living!! is incredibly more important than whether or not we possess musical skill...
understanding how our words and choices are perceived by others is often something we're not thinking about...
sometimes, we're spending a lot of time on self-evaluation, analyzing our motives (important, for sure!) when what we more need to know is how both the content and character of those words and choices are playing out to all who are watching...
i'm convinced that most of the "conflict" that seems to beset us is less about truly big differences!! and more about miscommunicating subtle differences!! the tone of our communication is off-pitch, surely, with the Holy Spirit's leading....and so (unsurprisingly) creates discord. the "tone" of how we speak to and about each other can be shocking...and must distress the heart of God....
instead of extending kindness and going the extra mile to include, we assume the worst about others; we get easily caught up in the content of the matter vs. caring about the continuity of community. and (perhaps the core of the matter!) we forget the importance of cultivating a Christlike spirit that always hopes, always forgives, always redeems relationships rather than focuses on having our own say!
i've used the pronoun we purposely!! because this is no exercise in pointing out weaknesses of others....it's my fight and my battle as well. at times i've been fabulously wrong in the tone i've taken with others (sometimes completely thoughtlessly!)...and i hope i've learned something from these errors...because repairing broken ties is difficult....and sometimes the damage cannot be undone.
i'm sure there are lots of Scriptures that would apply well here....honestly, none are coming to mind...what is coming to mind are these lyrics by Rich Mullins. They're not a prescription or a panacea for how to have the "perfect" tone always....but if the tone of our interactions (of my interactions!!) can measure up in any small way to these words, i do believe we'd all be the better for it.
Let mercy lead
Let love be the strength in your legs
And in every footprint that you leave
There'll be a drop of grace
If we can reach
Beyond the wisdom of this age
Into the foolishness of God
That foolishness will save
Those who believe
Although their foolish hearts may break
They will find peace
And I'll meet you in that place
Where mercy leads
Let love be the strength in your legs
And in every footprint that you leave
There'll be a drop of grace
If we can reach
Beyond the wisdom of this age
Into the foolishness of God
That foolishness will save
Those who believe
Although their foolish hearts may break
They will find peace
And I'll meet you in that place
Where mercy leads
