A Lesson From Bach

To be a star,
You must shine your own light,
Follow your own path, and don’t worry about the darkness,
for that is when stars
shine brightest!
~Unknown

It’s amusing to me what the perspective of years does to your ideas about life. I remember so vividly being in my twenties and soaking up every little motivational and self-help morsel I could latch onto. I must’ve really needed that boost in confidence. Not that it’s a bad thing. I suppose it had a lot to do with finding my way in the world and being on the brink of career, adulthood and independence and wondering if I “had what it takes.” I know I spent a lot of time thinking about what it means to be successful. The above quote was on a postcard I purchased and stuck in one of my quote books from my twenties.

The same quote read from my mid-life perspective, doesn’t have the impact. In fact, it seems a little lacking. What does inspire me now is what I read a few years ago about the manner in which Johann Sebastian Bach approached his work.

Before he began working on a new piece of music, he would write at the top of the sheet, Jesu Juva. ‘Jesus, help me.’” The entry goes on to say how Bach would write the last lines of his arrangement and finish off the piece with the following words at the bottom of the page, “Soli Deo Gloria” – “To God alone be glory.”

Composing your life with God as your guide, only sometimes are we the star. Often times, we stand back and support others who will shine, or we hope to let God’s light shine through our endeavors, individually and with others. I know people who have shined brightest through darkness, but I think, as Bach, they too must compose their mornings with “Jesu Juva” and put their heads on their pillows at night saying “Soli Deo Gloria.”