Carried By Community

On commitment, generosity, and the people who make this project possible…

Lately, life has felt heavy. Not necessarily because I’ve been struggling to navigate it, but because there is so much weight in the world right now. I think we all start to absorb that weight…little by little…until it becomes harder to notice the lightness. The good.

Everywhere we turn, especially when we turn to our devices, we’re pummeled with video after video and comment sections overflowing with opinions. It’s easy for that negativity to seep into our thinking and, if we aren’t careful, into our daily lives. When I start to feel that pull, I return to the pillars in my life - the constants I depend on, no matter what.

Motivational speaker and author Jim Rohn famously said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” While that can sometimes mean setting boundaries, I’ve found the sentiment to be deeply true. Surrounding yourself with people who elevate you brings growth and goodness into your life.

My first and most significant pillar is my immediate family. My husband and my children, who are simply people I love to be around. You can’t be in our family without having a sense of humor or without expressing love and appreciation. And while not every day is bliss or a walk in the park, we undoubtedly have each other’s backs and that foundational support is always there.

Second - my friends, and sometimes colleagues who morph into a hybrid work/friend relationship - sometimes it gets a little fuzzy! While those relationships evolve through the years, many have grown and evolved into something fundamentally solid. That even if there are extended periods of little communication, the respect and love is still there when it picks up again. These are the people who inspire and elevate me. That has certainly been my experience with Frances. When I met her over ten years ago, I immediately knew this was someone I wanted to know better. I resonated with her music, her presence, and her way of moving through the world, and I am undeniably better for having her in my life.

My last significant pillar is the relationship I have with my students and their families. From the outside it might not seem so, but private teaching is a two-way street. While I’m helping students learn and grow on their instruments, I’m also enriched by the conversations, trust, and camaraderie that develop over time. Though lessons may only be thirty minutes a week, many students stay with me for eight, ten, or more years.

For fun, let’s do some math (something I never thought I’d say 😅):

30 minutes/week × ~50 weeks/year × 10 years
= 15,000 minutes
= 250 hours
= just over 10 full days of shared time.

That’s a meaningful amount of life spent together - and a beautiful way to build genuine connection.

Which brings me to the real point of this post: a reminder that social media, when used thoughtfully, can strengthen community and make something truly extraordinary happen - especially when you have pillars like this surrounding you.

Last August, I shared a simple, last-minute video on social media thanking supporters of our London Symphony project. At the time, we had just reached 100 donors (we’re now at 168!). I also spoke about our partnership with MS FitEffect and why this project matters so deeply to me - not just musically, but personally, as my father lived for decades with multiple sclerosis.

A few hours later, after a long day of teaching, I received a Facebook message from Diane, the mother of a former student. It was after 9 p.m., and I was tired, physically and emotionally. Then I read her message:

“Hi Kirstin, I loved your Instagram video! I’ve been meaning to contact you about Naomi’s oboe. She’s decided she’s done playing - sad but true. I’d love to donate the oboe to you so you could sell it to a young student. The money could be my donation toward your album.”

I stared at the message. Then I reread it. Then I cried.

This kind of generosity - creative, unexpected, deeply thoughtful - stopped me in my tracks. Diane’s daughter studied with me over ten years ago and is now completing her residency in family medicine. Diane, who has stayed in touch all these years, who lost her husband a few years ago, chose this way to support our project.

Diane and I in her home as I pick up the oboe to take to it’s new owner 🤍

This is what community looks like. This is what generosity looks like. And it’s one of many moments that has carried us through this long, ambitious journey.

If I could carry forward even a fraction of the goodness that has emerged from this project, I’d feel incredibly lucky. Frances and I are surrounded by extraordinary people, and if you’re reading this, you are very likely one of them.

Thank you for supporting us in all the ways you do: financially, emotionally, through attendance, encouragement, or simply by being here and reading. You are our pillars, too. Thank you for being part of our circle. Thank you for elevating us.

P.S. This is Willow, my current student, whose family purchased the oboe Diane and Naomi so generously donated to our LSO Project. Photo is used with permission.