My brother-in-law is a drummer. From what I recall he began this endeavor when he was young, perhaps a teenager, and he still plays to this day, now into his…50’s. Wow, he’s getting old, or maybe he’s just more…experienced. He has played at Carnegie Hall though, so I guess he’s kind of cool.
I also played drums for a brief period in middle school. Everyone had to do something musical, so I figured banging on a drum was better than blowing a tuba or singing in the choir. And as my kids will tell you, my singing could use some improvement.
My brother-in-law claims the drummer sets the rhythm for the band. He likes to pretend he is the conductor, as the music will only go as fast, or as slow, as he plays. I guess I’ll take his word for it. But we do know that music is all about rhythm and keeping the beat.
This reminds me that life, like music, is all about rhythm. I’m sure most of us have our routines, from the time we wake in the morning until we go to bed at night, most of our days probably look the same. And each season we are reminded of the rhythm of nature, as the world turns and the seasons change, the waves crash on the beach, life begins and life ends, and the flowers bloom in the spring, nature reminds us there is a rhythm to life.
I’m sure that sometimes in life we speed up the beat and perhaps get a little bit ahead of ourselves. We get “off-beat”. If the drummer does this during rehearsal, I’m sure the conductor will stop the music, slow it down, and start again. Keeping the beat is important. Do you ever feel the beat getting a little too fast in your life? Perhaps you are trying to do too much at once and now you’ve lost your beat. Maybe this comes in the form of committing to too many things, or not eating well, or not exercising enough, or not getting enough rest. Keeping the rhythm often involves acknowledging the need for rest, and don’t forget that even the drummer needs to obey the “rests”.
As we move ahead into the spring, take some time to witness the rhythm of nature. The dormant bulbs will soon bloom, and the trees will bud and leaf out. As you witness the rhythm in nature consider your need for rest and renewal, find your own rhythm and keep the beat.
“We do not gauge the value of the seasons by how quickly they progress from one to the next. Every season brings forth its bounty in its own time, and our life is richer when we can take time to savor the fruit of each.” - Wayne Muller, “Sabbath”
