Beech Tree News Network

Itzhak Perlman, the Jewish-American virtuoso violinist, was born in Tel Aviv, in 1945.  Years active are listed as 1958 – present.  That means he was on the public’s radar by the time he was thirteen years old.  In 1963, when he was just eighteen, he received a Grammy for Best Instrumental Soloist for his performance with an orchestra.  He continued to win Grammy awards into the 1970s, ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s.  In 2015, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom (en.m.wikipedia.org).

                I have listed these awards, because it is important to understand that his accomplishments were achieved in the face of challenging odds.  Perlman contracted Polio at age four.  He has continued to walk with the aid of leg braces and crutches since that time.  He performs while seated to this day.

                My sister sent me an excerpt from a story about Perlman.  I don’t know the source, so I can’t give credit to the writer, but I want to share the story, nonetheless.

                “Once, Perlman came onto the stage at a concert to play a violin concerto.  Laying down his

                crutches, he placed the violin under his chin and began tuning the instrument, when one of the

                strings broke.  The audience saw what happened and thought he would ask for another string or

                send for another violin.  Itzhak signaled to the conductor to begin, and he played the entire

                concerto on three strings.  The audience gave him a standing ovation and called for him to

                speak.  What he said, so the story goes, was this: ‘Our task is to make music with what

                remains.’”

It takes a lot of hard work and determination to accomplish goals on the best of days and in the best of circumstances, but most of us aren’t given the best of days in the best of circumstances.  Most of us are like Perlman.  We might not have a debilitating disease, but we’ve had the life knocked out of us by circumstances or not-so-well-meaning others.  All we have left are three strings on an instrument meant to have four.

                The temptation is to point to the one broken string.  “See this broken string,” we say:  I was born into poverty; My mom abandoned me; People mistreated me and took advantage of me.  The three remaining strings are discounted.  I am chief among those who have lived like that for too long.  To this day, there are times when I have to remind myself that I have three strings left on which to play my life’s concerto, and I had better get with it while the odds are still in my favor.

                Even in the world of animals, there are all kinds of examples of overcoming challenging odds and working with what is left.  Have you seen the video of Dexter, the Brittney Spaniel who walks on his hind legs?  Dexter was involved in a traffic accident.  A truck ran over his two front legs, and he had to have one leg amputated, and pins were inserted into the other.  Kantee Pasek, a Colorado native and Dexter’s owner, feared the worst for her dog, but wanted to give him a fighting chance.  Dexter overcame the challenge by deciding not to walk on his three remaining legs, but to put all of his ingenuity and determination into his two remaining sturdy and fit hind legs.  If you ever visit downtown Ouray, Colorado, you will probably catch Pasek and Dexter out for their morning stroll (9news.com).

                There are other animals that have inspired me, even closer to home.  When our late cat Colleen was just a few months old, she was caught in the fan blade of Garey’s pickup.  The accident broke three of her legs and put a gash in her side.  I still remember my daughter Natalie holding her as we took Colleen to the vet.  I had little hope she would survive the accident, but Natalie believed.  Colleen survived the surgery and came home bandaged up with casts on three legs.  By the time she was a year old, Colleen was climbing the maple tree in the front yard.  She lived to be eighteen years old. 

                I can’t speak for everyone in the world, because there are people living in disparaging situations, but here, in this place where I live, there is hope and love and beauty, and abounding chances to succeed, regardless of what the talking heads on the national news are telling me.  I have three strings on which to make the music of the life God has created just for me, and I am very grateful.