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Archive Number 3626

Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 22:02:48 EST
From: Cristywest2@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: Surrender stories?


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In a message dated 1/24/04 11:13:45 PM, nobleheart@WIDEOPENWEST.COM writes:

<< Anyone have suggestions for good 'surrender' stories? Not waving the
white flag surrender, so much... but where you finally stop fighting
yourself and are able to embrace a higher truth.
>>

Kathe,

One that comes to mind for me appears in the Prologue of Stephen
Nachmonovitch's extraordinary little book, Free Play: the Power of Improvisation in Life
and the Arts. The story is called "The New Flute." It tells about how a
master musician comes to a small village and plays "like a god." A talented young
flute player is singled out to to be an apprentice with this master. Try as
he will, the master keeps saying to him "something is lacking." In despair,
the young pupil goes off, wanders on his own, ekes out a living. Years later he
is unexpectedly invited to play at a concert. Feeling by then he "had
nothing to gain and nothing to lose," he steps forward, plays, and someone in the
back of the room murmurs in awe "...like a god."

Nachmonovich's book offers a short chapter on the theme of surrender--in this
case, surrender as an important aspect of the creative process.

Cristy

**********

Cristy West
Washington, DC

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