This is another cool, but somewhat surreal, photo. The woman on the left was one of my first music teachers. She encouraged me to sing, started me playing the flute (Which I had to quit because my parents made me choose between flute and piano) and has been an encouragement to me since we reconnected. I've been thinking a lot about influence lately and watching how many people have gone to see Andy. (Friends, former classmates, teachers, family) I believe that we are all made up of the little moments where someone has invested in us. Sometimes influence can be negative or push us into an "I'm not going to be that way" route but many times small moments in time weave us into the people that we become. I'd like to think that this is one of the teachers role who was helped me to become a better musician and music teacher and that that has spread down to every student I have had. Andy's parents were also extremely supportive and encouraging to me when I first started teaching, so all of these relationships are definitely give and take situations.
Many of you reading right now have also been influences in my life. Thank you for being part of my life. I am richly blessed by knowing all of you. If you've been reading the blog and I don't know you (I've seen a lot of people from UAE reading lately), please drop me an e-mail or comment and introduce yourself. I love getting to know new people.
