A long time ago during my piano lesson piano recital days, I played a song. I can rememebr the cover of the song because it had someone sleeping in a hammock. Unfortunately, I cannot for the life of me remember the exact name, but I know that piece is still somewhere in the piano bench just waiting to be played again. And I also remember that this was during the time my piano teacher was really teaching me how to play with "feeling." We were striving for this feeling of swaying in a hammock and feeling the breeze, and I remember being pretty in awe with the piece because the way in which it was written-it actually sounded like you were swinging on a hammock over the piano keys. First time playing legato and also using that piano pedal made for a pretty whimsical experience. 

Since that piece, I don't think I've thought much about a hammock or legato phrases, but I finally found myself swinging on a hammock underneath the breeze at my husband's parent's house. I'm pretty sure I swung on that hammock for two or three hours just chatting with his sister, doing some reading, thinking about life. Life contemplation is quite magical when you have a swaying feeling bringing you back and forth across the land of ideas and memories. Regardless, as I was swinging, I began thinking a lot about all the legato moments in my life. That is something we tend to pass over as people. We think of those staccato times, those rocky hills, but rarelly do we ever take a moment to be thankful for the smooth, the sway, the legato, the moments of peace within our lives that exist right here. Right now. 

You don't need a hammock to do so, but don't forget to give thanks for the smooth and the peaceful. Think about that right hand gliding up and down the piano with ease and think about just how grateful we should be always for all those moments that do sway like a hammock without any resistance. Be thankful for the here and now.