Perseverance, part 1

Talking to a good friend today made me realize (again) that persistence over time will overcome anything (or almost anything). So many things are reminders of this ... of course practicing, but also: watching trees grow, or being a part of enduring relationships or careers.  

I became acquainted with Tommy Emmanuel's talent, career, and guitar playing only this fall, during a conversation I had with one of my favorite professors at Eastman.  Emmanuel has had an enormous career, spanning decades and the globe.  When someone asked him about the "secret of his success," he responded, "I wake up, and I play a song.  And the next day I wake up, and I play that same song, and the next day, and the next day."  His interview is also a fun read.  I especially enjoy the part at the end when he says, "just play a good song - it's what people want to hear." 

(rooftop picture: Sárospatak, Hungary, August 2012) 

A lesson which traveling through Eastern Europe also teaches is perseverance, to a great degree.  Countries in that part of the world have had to endure economic hardships, changing governments, or changing borders or identities.  Yet, they still have such beauty - perhaps, even more so, from the strength of simply continuing on.