When I was 6 years old I would sit at my mother's dressing table to look in the mirror as I practiced puckering my lips, blowing out air and trying to make music. Everyone else in my world seemed to have this frustrating combination of three simultaneous tasks down pat, but it seemed beyond my capability. I was learning to play the piano and to read, two important skills that were moving along nicely, thank-you-very-much, but couldn't get my lips, breath and brain to cooperate.
Then I discovered it was easier to make a sound while breathing in. It was only one tone, but it was a beginning. From that small success I found I could make the same sound sucking air in and blowing air out. It wasn't a musical phrase, but it was a note and I was on my way.
When things finally clicked and I performed the "twinkle, twinkle little star" tune for anyone within range, and then quickly moved on to something else. If I'd had a to-do list of required childhood learnings, whistling would then have gotten crossed off.
This came to mind yesterday as I took an introduction to the pottery wheel class where I again learned there are lots of things to think about and do at the same time in order to create art. My first piece fell apart. The second is a rather interesting lopsided dish. The third has potential as a small key or change bowl, but I won't know until I can pick up the finished piece after it is fired.
I don't know why whistling was something I was so determined to master. Maybe a favorite friend or character in a book was a great whistler. I do know that whistling is an example of many things in my life. I dabble and then move on. In the art world it has led me to try many things, from paper making to pottery. In my career, this has made me a generalist, a Jill-of-all-trades. And, you know, I'm quite content being someone who is not a star but who has a varied resume of work and art and who can still whistle a little. What about you? What are you glad you tried but don't excel at?
Marilyn
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