For those who don’t know yet, I am actually a violinist by profession. Tonight, I had the privilege of being part of the orchestra that performed with Cecile Licad, a Filipina pianist who has been described as “one of the most outstanding concert artists in the world.” I’ve been performing with orchestras for about five years now. It is not too long, I know, but it is long enough for me to have worked with quite a few pianists – and yes, I must say, she is worth the hype. She was absolutely outstanding and I’ve never been as blown away by any other pianist I have encountered. In one word, she was incredible in her performance of Bartok’s Piano Concerto.
Also while on stage however, I spied Imelda Marcos in the audience (yes, the Imelda Marcos with hundreds of shoes). It is a fact that while the Marcoses were in power, Imelda was very supportive of the arts. In fact, she is responsible for the construction of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. She was also very supportive of rising artists including the then-young Cecile Licad, who became one of her handful of protégés.
Intermission came around, and I decided to take a short walk outside the hall. While looking up at the night sky, I found myself thinking of Cecile Licad and Imelda Marcos and how wonderful it must be to have a patron. It must be something to have someone who sees your potential and is willing to invest time and money in you, and journey with you through the years.
And suddenly, I realized: I do have a Patron! My Patron sees so much potential in me, He gave me the gift of life, and continues to do so every minute. He is so sure I am capable of achieving things, He showers me continuously with the gift of time. He has so much faith in me, He gave me a job that only I can do, AND the set of tools needed for that job. He even gave me a fully-functioning body to use. G-d is my Patron! Every moment I am still alive is another moment of G-d thinking I am still worth investing in. And even if I occasionally struggle with believing in myself, I do trust G-d. And if G-d believes in me, then I will try my best to believe in me too.
I walked back into the hall with a smile on my face, brimming with gratitude for my Patron. And by the way, yes, the rest of the concert went superbly.
Seeker Thoughts 