I got to see my husband play with a mentor this week. It was such a joy. Benny Barth, jazzman!

One of the things I loved about the experience was realizing that both of these men, playing wonderful drums, were handicapped in some way. Steve’s hands are full of arthritis, he has neuropathy and he now needs carpal tunnel surgery. Benny’s in the beginning stages of alzheimer’s.

But wherever else there is impairment, behind the drums there is none. Not in the way they sit, not in the way the hold their sticks, not in the way the music flows through them. They’ve played so long, that rhythm knows how to make it’s way through them.

It was a joy and an honor…

I couldn’t help thinking… what if we practiced Peace that way? Practiced so long and so hard that it became second nature? That Peace could have her way with us, even when we were feeling irritable or small-minded? It would take a lot of hours to make it second nature… But watching these two men, I had Hope. Hope. Peace. and 2000 hours of practice. And we’re off!