I grew up in the Friday Night Lights of West Texas in the 60s and 70s, where sports – especially Midland Lee and Odessa Permian football – were king. A preemie who remained anemically skinny all through my school years, I also suffered from an uncorrected lazy eye, which resulted in no central vision in one eye and no functional depth perception. I could not catch a baseball or football to save my life. I truly was the proverbial kid who was picked last for every sports team. Luckily, at the age of seven I was already developing a talent for music. I started taking piano lessons in second grade and have been playing ever since.
Though I excelled academically in high school, I started at Rice University as a music major, though not on piano. I was fortunate to study with the principal clarinetist with the Houston Symphony. Thankfully, I came to several realizations my freshman year: 1) Though I was talented, I was not good enough on clarinet to make the big-league symphony orchestras and make a good living at it; 2) I found playing the same music over and over again a bit boring; and 3) I really wanted to go to medical school. I loved music (and continue to love it, just not playing the clarinet). But I did not want to make music my life’s work. Now, I have the best of both worlds – I have a wonderful career and I get to enjoy music on the side.
The other evening, I was sitting at my piano practicing an arrangement of “O Holy Night.” My daughter, a classically trained soprano, will be singing this at Christmastime and I have the great joy of being able to accompany her. As I was playing – glancing between the written music and my fingers on the keys, listening to the sound fill the room – I had the distinct realization of what a miracle music is. At its most fundamental, the concept that various tones and rhythms can be combined in a non-random fashion and be pleasing to the ear both for the performer and the listener is a mirror of creation. Add to that the genius of the development of various musical instruments and the complexity of composition and performance and you arrive at what can only be described as a spiritual experience where the music and the musician combine in a true act of worship.
As a pianist, it never ceases to amaze me that I can look at a splotchy group of dots on a page and translate that into an elegant motion of arms, hands, and ten fingers to make music. And when I can make music with others, the amazement and joy is amplified even more.
In 2014, Curt Fenley and I had the pleasure of bringing together the choirs and musicians of New Beginnings Baptist Church, under the musical leadership of Gregg Garcia, and our First Baptist Church for a combined Christmas program. We were without a music director at the time. That Christmas celebration demonstrated another miracle of music – the ability to bring a diverse group of people together for common good and purpose.
These two churches continue to make music and worship together at Christmas! Under the excellent leadership of First Baptist’s John Lassitter and New Beginnings’ Gregg Garcia, we are practicing for our eighth annual Christmas celebration, to be held on Sunday, December 5th at First Baptist at 6 PM. Our weekly practices together, which can really be described as jam sessions, transport us all away from the daily grind to a place of unity and worship. I hope everyone will plan to attend this impressive Christmas celebration! Canned goods will be gathered in support of CISC as well.
On a more somber note, we are now approaching a staggering 1 million excess deaths due to COVID-19. Nearly 100,000 of those deaths are since vaccines have been widely available. As a cancer physician, it is mind-blowing that COVID-19 is killing more people than cancer. I am heartsick when I hear people I know and love continue to refuse vaccination because of an unrelenting campaign of lies and misinformation, both about the seriousness of COVID and the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines. This paper’s obituary page continues to be filled with tragic and preventable COVID deaths.
In the realm of cancer treatment, hardly a day goes by that patients aren’t clamoring for the latest experimental medicine, desperate to try anything they think will help, regardless of unproven effectiveness and potential harm. How ironic (and senseless) that we have a disease that is killing more people than cancer and people refuse to get a proven safe and effective vaccine.
I am a rational, logical thinker. That does not mean my heart doesn’t ache when so many are dying for a lie or out of misplaced fear. I tell my reluctant terminal cancer patients who are afraid to take pain medication, once I have counseled them on appropriate use, that there is no virtue and no extra stars in their crown for hurting when they don’t have to. I feel the same way about unnecessary COVID illness and death – there is no virtue there.
Martin Luther wrote, “My heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary.” And so, I sit at my piano, calming my spirit and soothing my weary soul. As we enter the holiday season, I urge everyone to appreciate the miracle of music, yes, but also the miracle of modern medicine. Both have the power to heal. Let us thank God for both.
