Rules of ... Music

Cana roped me into a flute lesson. I did not fight ... much. She seemed to have as much problem with the way I hold a flute as T'zuri. It works for me ... well sort of. It perhaps does not flow as easily or as beautifully as their fingers do .. or did ... but my fingers are not beautiful.

By the time she had my callused fingers the way she wanted them positioned over the tiny holes I cramped up so bad that I did not think I could move. How was that going to work for me playing anything? But in a frore way I had it going on and I think I looked rather good. As long as it was just a painted picture and not a moving one.

It was a relaxed and amusing time around the fires. Plenty of jokes and teasing. But Cana placated my need for the rules and told me some of the rules of music. She told me to close my eyes and listen .. that the sounds around me were the rhythm. I had to wonder if T'zuri was paying attention to that one ... I hope she was.

Of course I have done this lesson many times. In many ways. I have even taught it .. but never in the context of music. At first I was reluctant to let anyone try to show me something I knew so well .. but I would never hurt Cana's feelings over something so trivial so I did it. And what opened up to me was something I had actually never experienced before. The colors of rhythm. A kaleidoscope of hues and tones that flashed according to the rhythm of movement and sound around me. I knew people's walk .. I knew them by their walk ... but I had never paid attention to the color of their walk.

Now if I could just figure out how to play ... color.