All at once

The world of musicians is sometimes similar to the one of people with 9 to 5 jobs. There are some instances where it crosses path. And not because the politicians decided it, but because of fate. Yes, fate, absolutely. Bam! I’m going strong. Follow me. This way, please. Mind your steps.

My daughter, this week, has to study like crazy for her finals. She’s had good grades up until now, she doesn’t want them to dive into the abyss, she cares, so she’s hitting the books. And she also had to prepare for the show we are about to play this Friday (Reader, come! It’s going to be a blast!). She will be on stage for about 1 hour 30 minutes, she has to remember the parts on 4 different instruments, she also has to prepare a few pleasant banter. The pressure is on for this gig. She’s got some friends and family, she’s also invited some colleague from school. She doesn’t want to look like a fool. Especially since her brother is ultra ready, studying hard, and her dad is doing the same. So, no time to relax for my brave daughter.

And, last week, on top of it all, she got sick. A little sniffle, a little headache, a little sore throat. Not cool. She still wanted to go to school, but her mood had slowed down.

Nonetheless, it was a lot for her. She told me: “Papa, I got finals next week, concert on Friday, and, look at me! I am sick!”

She thought it was so unfair! Like life wasn’t hard enough as it was with all these deadlines, she had to have her body betray her on top of it all.

I gave her a big hug. She’s my first one, you know, my baby. We’ve been best friend since she was born. How could I explain to her that fate shows no mercy, that when it rains, it pours, that yes, she was right, it was cumulative. If an adult is reading this blog, she/he will know EXACTLY what I am talking about. But my sweet daughter, my dearest Emmi, she doesn’t know yet, she full of hopes with a naive heart, she’s discovering the harshness of our lives, she’s exploring how, sometimes, it rains brick on the head of a drowning man. For no particular reason. Just because.

So, I took care of her the best I could. Chicken soup and rest and warmth. Her symptoms disappeared rapidly, she went to her first final yesterday and did very well. Every rehearsal we’ve done, she has shone bright and strong. She’s back to her usual joking sweet personality. But she got the lesson: when it comes, it’s all at once.