the rix mix

My best quality, probably, & a slight one, is for spotting where to place a brief, sincere compliment or word of encouragement simply because no one else thinks to do it. It's not much different than holding a door open, or waving at a driver backing out of a driveway when there's no traffic coming that you'll stop & wait for them. It takes no effort, & it's not charity, to be sure, but it can be a small, memorable act for the recipient. It can make somebody's day. The world's small, unintentional indifferences pile up. I learned it from insecure children, or rather they reminded me how important it might be. So it's a pleasant duty I recommend to non-perfectionists.

I wasn't a very good piano teacher because I wasn't a very good piano player. But I was good for a certain kind of student, child & adult, who wouldn't have benefited any better by studying with my girlfriend, an accomplished teacher. Wrong notes & skewed rhythms didn't offend my ears, & I knew the difference between an errant finger & a misunderstanding. I could point out the finger spot when the song was done. Getting through to the end was the achievement. A misunderstanding was worth stopping for. My girlfriend instructed to master the music. That's a proper thing & great skill. A lot of beauty came out of her studio. I taught not to be afraid of music, because I can listen to almost anything for a little while at least. That's all some people needed, & it could be beautiful, too.