There’s that old saying: How you do one thing is how you do everything. 【小题1】, it shows in everything that you do, even when playing music.

I recently went to a concert with some other musicians in town (many of whom I was meeting for the first time). 【小题2】, I spent more time in my head thinking about my drumming instead of actually paying attention to what was going on. This time though, I found that I was more attentive and was able to support the other musicians more through my playing.

【小题3】. And I could feel the audience was enjoying the music more too, because the music was no longer about me, it was about all of us connecting through the universal language of music.

Afterwards, the musicians I played with told me they felt like our hearts were connected while playing, and that we were able to achieve a new level of playing together thanks to our collected approach. When playing, we didn’t consider how to show ourselves off. 【小题4】.

I believe that the best musicians in the world have this in common; which is to see past their own values, and to listen to/connect with their audience and fellow musicians. I’ve realized all of this thanks to my practice of being a more compassionate and caring person.

So, I would like to thank everyone on this website for opening your hearts and showing me how to be a more caring person. 【小题5】, but also through my music, and to those who listen.

There was a boy whose family was very wealthy. One day his father took him on a trip to the country in order to show him how poor the people there were. After they arrived at a farm of a very poor family, they spent several days there. On their return, the father asked his son if he liked this trip.

“Oh, it was great, Dad,” the boy replied.

“Did you notice the difference between them and us?” his father asked.

“Yeah, I did.” said the boy.

The father asked his son to tell more details about what he had learned from their trip.

“Well, we have only one dog, and they have four of them. In our garden there is a pool, while they have a river that has no end. We’ve got expensive lanterns, but they have stars above their heads at night. We have the yard, and they have the whole sky. We have only a small piece of land, while they have endless fields. We buy food, but they grow it. We have a high fence for protection of our property; They don’t need it, as their friends protect them.”

The father was puzzled. He could not say a word. Then the boy added, “Thank you, Dad, for letting me realize how poor we are.”

This story shows that the true wealth as well as happiness is not measured by materials. Happiness and freedom are far more valuable.

Tall people are seen as life’s winners, the ones you want to be, the ones who get everything their own way. But it just isn’t the case. Rosamund Beattie (6ft 4in), a member of the Tall Persons Club—not a joke, they really do find life difficult—says it’s like being famous but without the money.

I’m not actually that tall—6ft 1in—but even I meet problems. Hotel beds are too short, train seats don’t have enough leg room, and I regularly have to bend at the knees to use mirrors. Clothing can be troublesome too. “Most shirts expose my navel(肚脐) when I stretch(伸展).” Trousers are a nightmare. “You’re desperately hoping you’ll find a pair of trousers that go all the way down to your shoes.” Then there’s the matter of relationships. How often do you see a woman with a man shorter than her? There’s exception but for most people it seems to be a no-no. Some tall women bend their shoulders in an attempt to hide their height. The habit never goes away, no matter how successful they become.

Yes, I know all this is going to sound admirable to someone of below average height. “I’ll swap places with you,” they’ll be saying. Fair enough. On balance I’d rather be 6ft 1 than 5ft 5. But it’s still true that, as so often, a supposedly desirable outcome in life is slightly less desirable than you might think. Before you look at a tall person and say you wish you were them, walk a mile in their shoes.

(Notes: 1ft≈0.3m; 1in ≈ 0.25m)