Reiner 1

Music and Keeping Your Feet Off the Ground
Alex Reiner
Entry 1 - 1/30

The other day I was sitting in the kitchen of my residence hall waiting on my dinner to finish cooking and one of my residents walks in, looking rather glum, to grab something from the fridge.  I asked him how he was doing, knowing that something was up.  He proceeded to tell me about how he was feeling disheartened... how his parents, paying for his education, did not see music as an acceptable major for having a career when he graduated and therefore refused to let him study it- "Business is more practical."

I watched David's (my resident) face as he talked about his parent's outlook on his passion for music and it became apparent to me that his parent's opinion of his passion was seriously making him reconsider his love and talent.  Once he finished telling me all the things that had been bothering him, mostly stemming from not being able to pursue his passion and feeling a sense of inadequacy, he told me that music was the only thing that let him escape the cynical nature of the world, that it was the only thing that kept his feet off the ground.

This conversation with David was so great because it was a brief glimpse into someone who gives all of themselves to what they love and the separation from that love can rock their world.  I don't think it happens often that people recognize their passions and dedicate the sum of their being to them.  David was right when he spoke of how his passion for music allowed him to escape the cynical, broken nature of the world and elevate himself above it.  I wonder what would happen if more people could find their passions, dedicate the entirety of themselves to them, and run with it... refusing to let parents and others too broken by the world tie a rope to their ankles and yank them back to Earth.  The world could use a little more passion.