Life in a Violin Case

1 In order to tell you what I believe, I must briefly bring up something from my personal history.

2 The turning point of my life was my decision to give up a promising career in business to study music. My parents, although sympathetic, disapproved of music as an occupation. This was understandable, I thought, in view of my family background.

3 My grandfather taught music for nearly 40 years at Spring Hill College. Despite being greatly respected in the community, he earned barely enough to provide for his large family. My father often said that it was only because my grandmother was so economical that the wolf was kept from the door.

4 As a consequence of this, the very mention of music as a career carried with it the idea of an uncertain existence. My parents insisted upon college instead of music school, and so to college I went.

5 Before my graduation from Columbia University, my family ran into some money problems, and so I felt it was my duty to leave college and find a job. Before I knew it, I had begun my career in business—a time in my life that I feel was somehow wasted.

6 Now, I do not for a moment mean to speak poorly of business; my whole point is that it is just not for me. I went into it for money, and aside from the satisfaction of being able to help the family, money was all I got out of it. It was just not enough. I felt that life was passing me by. I became very sad. My aim was to save enough money to quit and go to Europe to study music.

7 I used to get up at dawn to practice before I left for "downtown." Instead of lunching with my co-workers, I would seek out some cheap café and order a mean meal. I continued to make money, and finally, little by little, I saved enough to go abroad.

8 At that time, my family no longer needed my help, and so I gave up my position and flew to Europe. I stayed four years, worked harder than I had ever dreamed of working before, and enjoyed every minute of it.

9 "Enjoy" is too mild a word, really; I walked on air. I really lived. I was a free man and I was doing what I loved to do and what I was meant to do.

10 If I had stayed in business, I might be a really wealthy man today. I do not believe, however, that I would have made a success of living. I would have given up the happiness that money can't buy—something that is all too often done when one's primary goal is making money.

11 When I broke away from the business world, it was against the advice of practically all of my friends and family. Some of us have been conditioned to accept that success means money—so much so that the thought of giving up a good salary for happiness seems foolish. If so, all I can say is "Gee, it's great to be foolish!"

12 Money is not a bad thing, but now I know that it is not everything and that it is possible to pay too high a price for it.