Publisher's Notes

Last night I went to see Andre Reiu.  My husband and I were invited by some friends that had tickets, I didn't know much about him and therefore wasn't sure of what to expect.  His "show" was very entertaining.  It was a cross between an orchestra/opera concert and a variety show, sort of like the old Lawrence Welk show (which really wasn't my cup of tea back when I was a child.)

But the thing that really impressed me was Andre Reiu's ability to make the audience feel like they were the best audience, an audience that he enjoyed like no other.  He travels all around the world so I know that the half filled Verizon Center in Manchester New Hampshire is not the best audience he has ever played for and yet he seemed so genuinely happy to be there as he interacted with the people down on the floor level.  Although I'm sure he has rehearsed everything that he said last night a few hundred times, it never sounded like a script, instead he sounded impromptu and honest.   One of the things that really struck me was when he said that he is often asked if he gets homesick with all the traveling he does.  His answer to them was (paraphrased) that he has the honor of being able to make beautiful music and it is an honor to make beautiful music and share it with others around the world.  He loves home but knows that it is always there for him.  It was the gratefulness in his words and attitude that meant so much to me.   I can only guess how tiresome it must become to travel from place to place and then play the same songs and do the same performances over and over and yet he made it sound like a great priviledge and joy.    Some may be thinking "well if I made his kind of money, I could be happy to" but seriously, how much money would it take to make you happy to do the very same thing night after night with a great attitude of service?   I would guess that the attitude of service and gratefulness needs to come first. 

I want his attitude.  I want to live in that kind of gratefulness.  I know that it is going to take some work to re-train my mind to find joy and gratefulness in all things, even the mundane and monotonous.     I am reminded of the famous saying "if you can't find anything good to say, don't say anything at all."   That really is good advice but it is more than that, it is the attitude of the heart that I want to have.  Imagine entering every day with the intent to make everyone around you feel good and special?   And what would it take for it to be genuine?    A new attitude of gratefulness......