Wisdom From My Daughter

“But my life didn’t really ‘start’ with a big bang, instead it opened with a cry and a wail”

from Lost & Found: Finding The Power In Your Voice

Last Friday my daughter turned twenty one. Twenty one! Who could have imagined that my husband and I would be where we are now?

Slow and steady wins the race

That’s the phrase some person coined years ago to reassure the tortoise in all of us. But who feels the truth in this expression when raising young kids? As a parent it’s run to catch the wobbling toddler before he or she falls, quick sit them up before they start screaming bloody murder, hurry it’s time for lunch, dance class, soccer, bedtime and before you know it, the day is over and you’re wiped out! 

No one could have convinced me when my daughter was little that parenthood was showing me the importance of slowing down. Yet everywhere I turned the message was there, in waiting for her to tie her shoes, go to the bathroom, fall asleep! And it was also there in the music, not to mention the echoes of this message in studying and teaching the Alexander Technique and casting the net to book shows, and refine my own vocal practice. 

Music and creativity want our attention and presence of mind, just as children do. And most of us care so deeply for music and art that we want to listen but often our nerves, fears, and blocks often get in the way. Being a parent in music has taught me how to slow down to know what to pay attention to and when. Even when I care deeply for the music or another person, I have to make sure to check in with myself first so I know what is the best action to take. Who would have thought a little 5.2 pound newborn would teach me that? 

For all of you creators juggling the various demands of life and art, know that children can always offer you a nugget of wisdom for the journey. To learn more about my voice journey, order my newest audiobook Lost & Found: Finding The Power In Your Voice here.