Over the past few weeks, I have had the opportunity to trade
“life updates” with many friends from my Wheaton College years. I want to focus
on three friends in particular. Two of them were in my class of music education
majors at Wheaton and one is currently completing her pre-service student
teaching requirement (her major department is also music). All of us are
currently living what seems to me to be the archetypal lifestyle of a musician.
Only one word is necessary to accurately describe that lifestyle: variety.
Between the three friends I mentioned and myself, we
currently have our hands in the following activities: teaching in public
schools, teaching at community music organizations, teaching privately, music
merchandise retailing, church-based ministry of all kinds (including worship
and music ministry but also youth ministry and young adult ministry),
occasional performance engagements, and volunteer service for performing arts
organizations.
If I were to broaden my sample to include friends who were
also music majors at Wheaton but from other concentrations, the field of
activity would be exponentially larger. My point, however, is to demonstrate
that even from a narrow field of music education majors spread across just two
consecutive classes, the field of activity is vast and decidedly varied.
And I like it. My personal feelings about the lifestyle
aside, let me analyze the benefits.
First, there is a certain element of income security. Not
necessarily job security, as part-time
or contracted work is often the first to go when the employer needs to make
cuts. However, when a person is employed by more than one organization, a
stream of income remains should one of those organizations sever ties. While it
may make filing tax returns a bit more complicated, the benefit here is clear.
Second, there are so many more personal and professional
connections. Right now, between all my varied music-related activities, I run
in at least three major circles. And I have what I would consider solid,
mutually edifying friendships with people in all three. Beyond that, I have an
even greater number of acquaintances, which results in an almost immeasurable
“network.” I really enjoy being connected to so many people. Those people
represent an almost limitless number of different perspectives on faith, music,
education, and many other areas about which I care deeply. It follows that I am
always learning something new about faith, music, education, and the rest – and
that is a true blessing. In addition, it is always a joy to discover that
someone I know through one activity is connected to someone I know through
another. The whole “small world” phenomenon, if you will pardon the cliché.
Third, it is rather difficult to get bored with so many
different activities filling one’s schedule. There is some routine (e.g.,
church choir rehearsal every Wednesday evening, the same two private students
every Thursday afternoon), but even so, every day is different. I would not
feel very excited about life if I flipped through each week of my calendar and
saw the same colors (corresponding to different categories of events) in the
same places on each page. Instead, I whenever I turn to a new page, I see a
completely different assortment and arrangement of activity.
I have testified to many people over the last few months how
content I am with the life I am living right now. The three reasons I outlined
in this article are a big part of my contentment (the other, prime reason, is
that I can see clearly God’s hand in filling my life with activities that allow
me to use my gifts and experiences to serve many, many people and grow closer
to Christ). The varied lifestyle definitely suits the young musician well. In
fact, I would be very happy, Lord willing, to maintain my varied, widely
networked lifestyle for the rest of my life.
This is Rubio, over and out.
