I am not a writer. I am not a website designer, blogger, or a social media anything. The thing that really lights my fire is teaching. It's making connections with students and sharing all that I've learned from musicians way better than me over the past 40 years. Yet here I am, writing.
The past few months, that musical thing that I love to do has come to a screeching halt. My very last in-person lesson in March was with a sweet, hard-working clarinetist who was getting ready for high school. Her mom nervously walked into my home studio, sat down a little farther away than usual, and quietly talked about masks and school cancellations. I'm pretty sure we both knew what was coming. What I didn't realize was the profound feeling of loss that I'd feel from not being able to play with my band and nurture my music students.
Fast forward. After re-organizing my cabinets more than once and playing lots of Monopoly, it's time to pivot because I can't NOT teach. Even if I can't welcome smiling, smelly middle schoolers into a tiny practice room in the corner of the band room or sit beside my hard-working high schoolers as they push the limits of their own playing, I can't NOT teach. It's part of who I am.
So, I'm back! Feeling alive teaching online lessons, making YouTube tutorials, and writing about every bit of knowledge that I've stolen from others over the years. I can't help it. I'm a teacher.
What lights your fire?