It’s an Art, you know.

The Art of the Listen. It’s why I write a lot about park benches.

Takes a very special person to provide this silent, powerful part of any exchange between humans. Here’s a story that hits the right note.

Last evening I attended a musical event. Not a derby festival, but actually a symphony. After the performance (magnificent, if I do say so), a group was talking about their own musical accomplishments. (as it always happens).

“I play classical piano,” said one.

” I taught music for 40 years in New York,” explained another.

“My whole family is musical,” said another. “My mother played piano, my father played the cello, I play the violin. The children are quite accomplished also. My grandfather toured internationally. “

“Oh,” said one in the group. “What about your grandmother? What was her musical instrument?”

The woman laughed. “Oh, grandmother didn’t play anything. In fact, she was quite tone deaf.

“But she always said she was the most important person in the room…

“Because someone needs to listen. Or what’s the point of music?”

It’s an Art.

SKATE ON!

Darla

(Thanks to Eftychia Athenodorou for her Pinterest post of the Music Bench by Jim Glover)