Writer, comedian and all-round human firecracker Catherine Deveny urges every aspiring writer: “Don’t die with your music inside you.” This was brought home hard when a friend and colleague ended his life three years ago.
David was a deeply empathic, big-hearted human with a brilliant mind and a radiant smile. He saw the gifts in others and let them know with a poetry and sincerity that was hard to deflect. The difference he made was profound and he had so much more to share but it was not to be. And it’s not for me to say how it should have been.
But you. You’re here. You’ve worked so hard to know what you know, to be able to do what you do. You have so much music inside of you too. Yes, the deepest learning is gained from experience that no one can shortcut for us and some of that experience downright sucks. That doesn’t mean the learning needs to happen in isolation.
We can still leave a trail of small step ups, handrails and ropes, never knowing who will discover them in a time of need. We can carve footholds and arrows in rocks, without seeing the greatness they maybe helped someone else to achieve. After all, we are the product of others’ generosity, from both those who know us well and from total strangers. So if you haven’t already, please, do come and join the symphony.
Helen Mentha 