Retirement is no longer having to wear a mask.

Playing piano, improvisation is the closest thing to pure intent as humanly possible. Everything else in life is a play. You play a role a business woman, a doctor, lawyer, a friend or foe. Now that you are retired, you are freed to explore who you are. You have finished the scene. That character can be put to rest. Learn freedom of judgement from learning to play piano. In my teaching there is no right or wrong. All notes make up the song. Some are dissonant and sound strange, some sound pleasant and lovely. Either way, there are no wrong notes. Like being a wave in the ocean, not separate, not possible to not be part of the ocean, but unique and beautiful. Music is the closest thing that represents pure intent and reality. No more criticism or justification. Just intent to action. Sometimes even before intent, just spontaneity. Start the steps on your new journey, or continue the path with more improvisation. Creating music is expression of the unexplored. Like listening to yourself before you self censor or subconsciously change to fill a role. Escape the arena of comparison. Bring joy, not recognition. Do it because it delights you. Stop keeping score. You don’t have to play in the theater of masks anymore. Do you know who you really are. Having you been wearing masks for so long that you forgot who you are. Stop worrying about how you appear to others. Start being authentic. Empty approvals, laughing at things that are not funny. Express your feelings. Let the pain out, the anger, the frustration, the loneliness can be expressed in your music. Learn how. Say out loud the things that have been hidden. Risk losing the false peace, just because you “don’t know” how to play. Embrace the challenge. Turn inwards to express outwards. Escape the storm of noise, social media, news, work that bring no knowledge or fulfillment. Stop responding and start expressing. Sit with yourself and silence the noise to hear your own thoughts. No written music. Understanding how music works is like understanding how life works. Then you can decide you play by the rules or not. Start filling up your own cup. Retirement means you do not have to fill others cups. Music brings up what is kept in the basement. This will be uncomfortable at first but then you will experience release and relief. Learn to not judge yourself. Anger become passion. Self criticism becomes empathy. Become integrated. Find you authentic face, because you no longer have to wear a mask to please others. Start right where you are.  Create space for yourself. Find you authenticity. Become free. Express your authentic self. Your music is yours and yours alone and is not subject to criticism. Every note is right. There are no wrong notes. Stop keeping score in the arena of comparison. Stop defending yourself against yourself. Create a home, stop just choosing which prison you want to live in. Come home to now. Don’t dance to someone else’s songs. Play your own music. Pursue joy. Turn of the noise and start listening to yourself.  Right now. It’s waiting. Waves cannot occur by themselves. Branches don’t exist alone. The universe in not a monarchy.  Creation itself which created you. You get to take part in that creation.