Michael Orrett

Transcript

Music legend Bob Marley said, "One of the benefits of music is that when it plays, you don't feel pain." But if Bob Marley heard my son play the violin, he would have a completely different opinion. About two months ago, my son's music class had a final concert, and I was invited. I didn't know what to expect, but I went. And the first thing I noticed when I got there was that most of the seats were empty. Most parents didn't come because they knew what horror awaited them.

I went in and sat down in my seat. Then suddenly the music teacher raised his hands, preparing to conduct. We parents raised our phones and iPads, ready to capture this precious moment. The cleaner shook his head and slowly left. And then it happened. An army of elementary school students tortured us with their violins. They were cute. They were innocent. They tried. But they sounded terrible. Only love for our children helped us endure this pain. How could such pain come from such innocence?

These kids were just killing us. But we parents just sat there, pretending it didn't bother us. Although deep down I wanted to boo them. Seriously, they were killing us. It was like walking on a tightrope in the middle of a volcano in hell itself. But in the midst of all this suffering, one thought brought me back to life. And this thought was like this. Life is an instrument that we all learn to play. And some of us have more experience with this than others.

And while we create earthly melodies on this instrument of life, we can sometimes strike notes that offend, annoy, or even hurt those who listen to us. But we have to keep playing because that's the only way to get better. And for those of you who have more experience with this instrument of life, those who have mastered its sound, please show a little empathy for those of us who don't play so well. After all, you were once in this place too. My son and his classmates did n't play very well, but they were learning to play together.

The concert continued, and we, the parents, found joy in the midst of this suffering. These kids crushed Mozart. They mutilated Beethoven. They even ruined Canada's national anthem. At this point, the music teacher couldn't take it anymore and stopped the game, approached each child and corrected their posture and the position of the instrument. And after these minor adjustments, the kids still sounded terrible. But they played much better. My son's violin performance taught me that life is an instrument we all learn to play.

And some of us have more experience with this than others. And as we create earthly melodies on this instrument of life, we must surround ourselves with the right teachers who can show us how to skillfully play the bow on thin strings. Today, you see eight of them on this stage. And how far you go in this life will depend on the teachers you surround yourself with. So yes, you will take notes that hurt, annoy, and offend people. But keep playing, and eventually we will all learn to play in harmony.

Transcript generated from the recording and lightly cleaned. Some names and wording may differ from the spoken speech.