If someone hates what you do, you are doing something right

Music lesson time! Way back in the day during the Baroque Period (1600-1750), composers wrote very minimal amounts of music on the page for performers. It was up to performers to improvise to make the music more interesting. This process of improvisation was known as ornamentation. Performers in that day understood that there were certain guidelines or rules to follow to make sure this was done the proper way.

There are some people out there who do crazy things like major in music and get their degrees in flute performance (yours truly). Some people go so far as get their Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. (not me...at least not yet...maybe not ever) Some people become specialists in a very specific niche, such as Baroque Flute. For the record, Baroque flutes are not the same as modern day flutes. There were many differences, one of the biggest differences being that Baroque flutes were made of wood. My flute is made of silver and cost more than my first car, so...yeah.

One day during my graduate school years, a Baroque flute specialist came and presented a masterclass on ornamentation. During the masterclass, she told one of the performers something I will never forget. She was explaining how to audition for a Baroque flute program, which usually requires performing for a board of a few people. She said, "Sometimes people hate what you do. If someone hates what you do, it means you are doing something right." That really struck a chord with me. (Ha ha! See what I did there? Get it? Chord?)

I just started thinking about this again recently because I've had to jump some hurdles in my latest endeavor. I've been wanting to become a Birth Boot Camp Instructor since I first heard about it, but one thing after another keeps popping up (And popping out. Ha ha! I crack myself up!) to  delay my opportunity to attend a training. Life happens. Opposition happens, and it seems to happen often when I am doing something right. Despite various hurtles, setbacks, and opposition, I know this is the right path for me and a really great service I will be able to provide for women and families in the Houston birthing community. I am happy to report that, finally, after much eager anticipation, I have been able to sign up for the training that will be coming to Houston next year. February 2014 can't come quickly enough!