This inimitable thought is one I find myself turning over in my mind in my weakest moments: 

When we are worn thin, eroded by the world and the weight of our burdens; when we are robbed of someone or something that helps us make sense of our lives; when we face hard things in a cage of our own design; when we feel like we couldn’t possibly be farther from the best version of ourselves: God appears. We suddenly see and feel a collection of beauty perfectly curated for us, and we ourselves are seen. Behold: a guidepost for a weary traveler.

These glimmers of truth and light ignite our bones and reveal the most genuine and poignant certainty: we were never alone.

Our lives are composed of these unique moments that inspire, renew, and even define us. I believe that this appreciation of beauty is an inherent reminder of our faith: each of us must choose to encounter it for ourselves. As a professional musician and educator, my gifts and passions surround me with beauty. I am rich with these moments, emboldened by my students as I share in their victories and help to ease their anxieties. The work of nurturing their ambitions and validating their beliefs as they grow is immeasurably gratifying. Through this devotion, I am reminded often of the chance and choice to savor this everyday beauty in all its perfect imperfection, and to embrace these moments with joy and gratitude. Deciding to be present and open revives us in our dark places and offers a lighted path back home. 

Whether you are reading this from a place of contentment or need, I encourage you to rediscover and reimagine the immersive beauty of your life: the happy coincidences and chance encounters that set you on new paths and adventures; the rekindling of once-forgotten daydreams; or maybe even the slow but steady progress of a musician in your life. Endeavoring to live as though each moment is an unrepeatable miracle reorders the world with gratitude and grace, and leads us to see the beauty that was there all along.