Aiming to be perfect is a nice goal. But unless we turn into machines, we will never achieve it. Like NEVER ever.
Why? Because there is a difference between theory and life.
Let’s take a look at this.
You won’t hear me talk about math very often. I was invited to drive an extra round when I graduated from school because my math skills were that lousy.
Here is why: I could never get over the age old myth that one plus one would equal two.
I consider this the greatest falsehood of history.
Or so.
Look. If you have inanimate objects like screws, this might seem like a truism.
One screw plus another screw put together makes two screws, right.
No questions, I can see that. I am not an idiot.
Still. It just leaves out life. It ignores the true nature of our reality.
One plus one equals two falls short of what we all experience all the time.
Looking at life, we get a whole different scenery.
Here is an out-of-classroom and real-life TRUE math example:
Take one dog and another dog. Like natural dogs, no surgery.
If they are a he and a she dog and if the season is right – baam!
You get one plus one equals some more dogs.
Or take rabbits.
Or a chicken and a rooster.
One plus one equals not two in nature but A LOT.
MANY.
Or look at the cherry tree in your garden. It does need another cherry tree in its neighbourhood. And what comes out of it – two cherries?
NO!!! One plus one cherry tree equals a whole garage full of cherries and potential cherry trees.
To bring this back home. They say there is a difference between theory and practice.
The theory (and our own ego) wants us to be perfect.
And not just in one aspect of life – in all of course.
If we get it wrong, we feel like a crap and our ego wins. It can jump up and down, point it’s dirty fingers on us and scream: See, I told you you are a loser!
Next time this grumpy little sucker shows up, you tell him: Yeah right, of course.
You don’t know ANYTHING about life, you even fall prey to the one plus one equals two nonsense. So shut up, clean up your room and do something useful.
It works. Really.
With so much love,
Anselma
p.s. Nikolaus Maler gifted the bassoon world a charming recording of the Little Toccatas (LINK). If you have students, they are gonna love this!!! Thank you so much for this beautiful inspiration!
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