Do What You Love

By Rachel Revelle

I know that I’m a much happier, lively person when I both exercise and listen to live music regularly. These identity markers are important to follow when we can. They intersected in an interesting way when I took my first swim of the season in the Central Campus pool yesterday – the lifeguard was practicing flute! Not an expected sight, it was a great entrée into conversation after I finished my swim. He has played flute and saxophone for years, and as a child wanted to be an orchestra musician. Now, he plays when he can.  Including right there in the public setting of lifeguard duty.

I was then deciding whether to go to a show in Raleigh last night, jazz/funk group Alan Evans Trio, and with the stimulation of a workout and meeting a fun new acquaintance, I was in the mood to go. For me, this was doing something that I knew I would love, despite any stigma about being alone in a social setting. And I had an absolute ball, standing contentedly solitary while enveloped in the experience of music.

So, my somewhat obvious but enthusiastic insight from yesterday is to get over social or psychological barriers and confidently pursue the things that bring fulfillment. The positive effects of one man’s pursuit, as well as my own, have spilled over into a better disposition all day today!