The wondrous world of ...

Some days ago, another fellow-blogger about the shakuhachi Erin wrote about me! Well I was the subject, but not the main point of her entry. She wrote about the wondrous world of the digital era we live in and the possibilities it gives us to communicate. Because this entry had me in it and gave me a warm smile and I'll copy her entry here for my memories. The technology is wondrous, the shakuhachi world is, the flute certainly is! and Erin is a wondrous person as well! Her blog is recommended, but for the shakuhachi readers that is no news probably. Here are her words:

A few weeks ago I got together with my friend Bas to talk about shakuhachi playing and practicing. We met at home, he in his den while I sat at my dining room table. We played various of our flutes for each other and compared the shakuhachi in our small collections. Bas has a wonderful shakuhachi blog and he began his journey on the bamboo path about the same time as I. We have numerous other aspects in common, as friends generally do, and though he lives in the Netherlands I feel close to him. Both Bas and I have the same shakuhachi teacher and we find it interesting to compare notes with regards to pieces being practiced and techniques being honed. It is inspiring for me to have a friend at about the same level. Naturally I am impressed and amazed by the great shakuhachi players' recordings but to have a peer who is progressing along side of me offers a special and much more personal inspiration. I can hear his accomplishments and can feel directly encouraged by them. Sometimes when I hear a player with years of experience playing a piece, I wonder if I will ever be able to play anywhere near that level however when I hear friends play who are closer to my level of learning I feel motivated by their skill and renew my efforts believing more in my potential to master the basics which are of course the foundation of all playing which will follow. Much of this would not be possible if we did not live in the digital age. Bas and I correspond by email, within each others blogs and, most recently, over Skype. Yes, some day it would be good to actually meet and play in person but for now I feel my life is enriched thanks to technology allowing our friendship to flourish. Thank you Bas!