Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
“An Attitude of Fortitude”
Recently I read a biography about Nicolo Paganini, the colorful and talented 18th century violinist. In 1891, when Paganini was just 9 years old, he made his concert debut in Genoa. At age 13, Paganini began to compose concertos for the violin. While he may be remembered for his writing, today he is best remembered for his colorful playing and showmanship.
Paganini was truly a gifted violinist. He could play mournful, lamenting pieces so that the violin sounded as though it was weeping. He could play passionately sweet, soft melodies that moved people to tears. He could play hard, fast and forcefully and the audience thought it was magical. Magical was an excellent way to describe his showmanship.
There is a story about Paganini standing before a packed concert hall performing a complicated piece on his violin. Supported by a full orchestra of talented musicians, Paganini stood center stage demonstrating his magic. Paganini was playing hard. Vigorously, he pushed the bow back and forth across the delicate strings as if he was sawing the violin in half, when one of the strings suddenly snapped. The snapped string hung limp from the tailpiece. Beads of perspiration popped out on his forehead. Frowning, he continued, concentrating, improvising magnificently on the remaining three strings. Then, without warning, a second string broke. Without missing a beat, he played on, again improvising on the remaining strings. Then a third string snapped, breaking away. Still Paganini played on. The conductor looked over and saw the three limp strings dangling from Paganini’s violin. The conductor focused on the three broken strings. Paganini focused on the one remaining. The conductor, seeing the three broken strings, wondered what Paganini was going to do. He worried that Paganini would stop playing. He worried that the violinist would quit the performance, stop playing and walk off the stage leaving the orchestra playing alone. As the conductor worried about Paganini and what he might do, Paganini continued playing. He remained focused on what he was doing. He remained attentive to that one remaining string. He concentrated on what he had, and not on what he did not have. Paganini kept improvising, playing the piece on the one remaining string.
Finishing the piece, Paganini triumphantly twirled the violin up in the air holding it high above his head as the audience jumped to their feet applauding, and shouting in grand Italian fashion. As the applause died down, the violinist asked the people to be seated. Even though they knew it was impossible for an encore, they quickly settled back in their seats.
Paganini again held up his violin high for everyone to see. Dramatically he pointed to the dead, limp strings dangling from his violin. Plucking the one remaining string, he turned to the conductor, nodded, ready to begin the encore. Turning to the crowd, with a broad smile, he shouted, “Paganini, and one string!”
Placing the Stradivarius under his chin, he played the final piece on one string as the audience, conductor and the orchestra shook their heads in disbelief and amazement. Paganini, and one string. Paganini, with an attitude of fortitude.
I believe the single most significant decision we can make on a day-by-day basis is our choice of attitude. It is more important than our education, our work experience, our bankroll. It is more important than our past failures or successes. Attitude is what keeps us going or cripples our progress. Our attitude powers us or incapacitates us when all we seem to have left is that ‘single string’ to play on. Our attitude alone fuels our fire, or assaults our hope. It energizes us or weakens us. When our attitude is right, there is no barrier too high, no valley too low, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great to achieve.
Having the right attitude is the ability to keep going when all we have left is one string.
Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl knew what it was like to have one string left. He knew how important it was to have the right attitude in life. Frankl once said, “Life is 10% of what happens to us and 90% how we respond to it.”
How are you responding to old troubles and new problems in your life? Do you have an attitude of fortitude when rumors circulate of lay offs and plant closings? Do you have an attitude of fortitude when forced to deal with a sudden illness, or chronic sickness?
Since my mother-in-law moved in with us, I have seen strength beyond a linebacker, endurance beyond a marathon runner. Crippled with osteoarthritis, weakened by polio, wounded from previous surgeries, she strains daily to perform simple movements I take for granted.
Struggling through the house, climbing a few steps up to the curb, for her rivals the ascent on Mt. Everest. Watching her struggle, I see not only determination, but also an attitude of fortitude. I see her struggle and think how easy it would be to give up to the effort and give in to the pain. I think how easy it would be to stay put, remaining in the house, in a recliner. It would be tempting to give up. However, when you have an attitude of fortitude, there is no quitting, even when you have but one string to play on.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “Thanks be to GOD! He gives us victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Therefore, stand firm. Let nothing move you.” Do not be moved to defeat even when you have only one string to play on. Develop an attitude of fortitude.
Paganini was truly a gifted violinist. He could play mournful, lamenting pieces so that the violin sounded as though it was weeping. He could play passionately sweet, soft melodies that moved people to tears. He could play hard, fast and forcefully and the audience thought it was magical. Magical was an excellent way to describe his showmanship.
There is a story about Paganini standing before a packed concert hall performing a complicated piece on his violin. Supported by a full orchestra of talented musicians, Paganini stood center stage demonstrating his magic. Paganini was playing hard. Vigorously, he pushed the bow back and forth across the delicate strings as if he was sawing the violin in half, when one of the strings suddenly snapped. The snapped string hung limp from the tailpiece. Beads of perspiration popped out on his forehead. Frowning, he continued, concentrating, improvising magnificently on the remaining three strings. Then, without warning, a second string broke. Without missing a beat, he played on, again improvising on the remaining strings. Then a third string snapped, breaking away. Still Paganini played on. The conductor looked over and saw the three limp strings dangling from Paganini’s violin. The conductor focused on the three broken strings. Paganini focused on the one remaining. The conductor, seeing the three broken strings, wondered what Paganini was going to do. He worried that Paganini would stop playing. He worried that the violinist would quit the performance, stop playing and walk off the stage leaving the orchestra playing alone. As the conductor worried about Paganini and what he might do, Paganini continued playing. He remained focused on what he was doing. He remained attentive to that one remaining string. He concentrated on what he had, and not on what he did not have. Paganini kept improvising, playing the piece on the one remaining string.
Finishing the piece, Paganini triumphantly twirled the violin up in the air holding it high above his head as the audience jumped to their feet applauding, and shouting in grand Italian fashion. As the applause died down, the violinist asked the people to be seated. Even though they knew it was impossible for an encore, they quickly settled back in their seats.
Paganini again held up his violin high for everyone to see. Dramatically he pointed to the dead, limp strings dangling from his violin. Plucking the one remaining string, he turned to the conductor, nodded, ready to begin the encore. Turning to the crowd, with a broad smile, he shouted, “Paganini, and one string!”
Placing the Stradivarius under his chin, he played the final piece on one string as the audience, conductor and the orchestra shook their heads in disbelief and amazement. Paganini, and one string. Paganini, with an attitude of fortitude.
I believe the single most significant decision we can make on a day-by-day basis is our choice of attitude. It is more important than our education, our work experience, our bankroll. It is more important than our past failures or successes. Attitude is what keeps us going or cripples our progress. Our attitude powers us or incapacitates us when all we seem to have left is that ‘single string’ to play on. Our attitude alone fuels our fire, or assaults our hope. It energizes us or weakens us. When our attitude is right, there is no barrier too high, no valley too low, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great to achieve.
Having the right attitude is the ability to keep going when all we have left is one string.
Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl knew what it was like to have one string left. He knew how important it was to have the right attitude in life. Frankl once said, “Life is 10% of what happens to us and 90% how we respond to it.”
How are you responding to old troubles and new problems in your life? Do you have an attitude of fortitude when rumors circulate of lay offs and plant closings? Do you have an attitude of fortitude when forced to deal with a sudden illness, or chronic sickness?
Since my mother-in-law moved in with us, I have seen strength beyond a linebacker, endurance beyond a marathon runner. Crippled with osteoarthritis, weakened by polio, wounded from previous surgeries, she strains daily to perform simple movements I take for granted.
Struggling through the house, climbing a few steps up to the curb, for her rivals the ascent on Mt. Everest. Watching her struggle, I see not only determination, but also an attitude of fortitude. I see her struggle and think how easy it would be to give up to the effort and give in to the pain. I think how easy it would be to stay put, remaining in the house, in a recliner. It would be tempting to give up. However, when you have an attitude of fortitude, there is no quitting, even when you have but one string to play on.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “Thanks be to GOD! He gives us victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Therefore, stand firm. Let nothing move you.” Do not be moved to defeat even when you have only one string to play on. Develop an attitude of fortitude.
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