Excellence

I've been thinking about excellence. The "miracle on the Hudson" airplane landing made us all appreciate what a job well done looks like. Excellence on the job saved over 150 lives. I find that the striving of the artist is the seeking of excellence. What does an excellent painting look like when it has never been painted before? With experience and training we can begin to recognize it when we see it. How then do we ourselves create it? It is a balance of turning our training on enough to use our experience, but also we need to turn it off to let the muse take us to new places. Step into the unknown with the trust that our preparation will guide us to take the right paths. It also means the dedication to this quest of excellence. The practice of our craft is not always pleasant- uncertainty, fears of falling short, the raw reaction of an audience- this is part of the package. The other night I watched my niece Jane Hilton play with three other musicians in an Irish band. The individuals all displayed an expertise that could only be attained by hours of solitary practice. The joining together and performing could only come after those lonely dues had been paid. This too is part of the deal- the solitary quest to find your expression that no one else can say. No short cuts exist for true excellence- but the safe landing makes the effort worth while and sometimes even life saving.