The connection between music and spiritual development continues to intrigue me. Reading various musicians' letters and biographies, I notice their spiritual evolution as time passes and their musical work grows on them, as it were. Examples include conductor Michael Tilson Thomas: raised as a secular Jew, he talks of praying and connecting with the Infinite before conducting a concert; Johann Sebastian Bach seemed to grow into being a committed Christian from being a sort of default Lutheran; and I could go on at length with specific details about Aaron Copland, Daniel Barenboim, Felix Mendelssohn, Gustav Holst--just to name a few musicians, randomly chosen from the crowd on my mind right now.

I wonder why this connection is, and why it flowers so vigorously, at least in some lives.

When reading "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might," I feel a truth hovering behind the words. Committing total energy to some creative endeavor elevates the soul, and maybe brings it closer to God, who waits for us all to realize his presence.

Today's quote: Ask me who my family is and I must answer: the family of mankind.