In Sickness and in Health

This is an English translation of an article published in Nikkan San on March 19, 2020, as a part of my column, “The Way of the Pianist.

We promise our partners to love and cherish each other “in sickness and in health” when we get married. Weddings, funerals, graduations…at all of these ceremonies that mark the the different stages of our lives, apparently in every culture and religion, we have some kind of music. Neuroscientist and cognitive psychologist Daniel Levitin asserts that music at these rituals remind us how many things, like the bond of our communities and our growth, remain the same and continuous.

 Covid-19, a.k.a. Coronavirus, threat our health, economy and sense of normalcy. In the meantime, some are publishing opinions to see the best in the situation. I saw one that featured the decrease in CO2 emission due to people not traveling. There are others that urge people to take this opportunity to reflect on their life and renew their appreciation of the little things in life. Emergencies break our routines and question our conventions. While the disruptions can cause inconveniences, it does give us a new paradigm to work with, renewing our perspectives. One thing is clear – this is a common threat that everyone should unite together to face. What we share is greater than our differences, and the risk of not seeing this is too great.             

In my twenties, I started touring. That is when I learned to distinguish between things under my control, and things out of my control, and to focus on things I do have control over. On the road, you travel during the day everyday, and perform at night at different venues every night. There are days where I don’t get to practice. Sometimes you arrive at the venue just in time to play the concert, without any soundcheck. You go for days without a hot meal. Nothing will change if you cry and whine. The best thing to do is to accept the situation and do your best on things under your control.              

What we can do right now is to maintain our health and strength, and be compassionate and helpful to those around us. Let’s do our best to make our future selves proud. What are the things we can do now, under these circumstances, that would contribute to our growth and development? What would make this time fondly memorable, years and decades down the line?

If you are overwhelmed, hum to yourself. Sing and dance together with your family. Listen to an album you’ve always liked, but this time, devoting your total attention to the music, doing nothing else. Music is proven to reduce your stress and anxiety. It’ll make you breath easier and deeper, and help you access a better perspective.