Mastery

I hear my law partner talk about the statute I’ve read many times, hearing familiar words in ways I’ve not understood them before. As if I’m hearing about the statute for the first time. His mind sees the words and their meaning with a keen eye and clarity that others only aspire to.

My mother’s hands move with grace and power as they glide over the keys of the piano. Her left hand moving in different directions as her right strikes the higher notes in perfect harmony. I’ve watched her play all my life. I feel who she is with every song, as if each string hit by the hammer of the piano comes from deep inside of her.

I watch the U.S. play at the world cup in Brazil, I see the soccer ball moves at terrific speed towards Tim Howard. His trained eye and mind moves his body to defend the goal in ways that are amazing. It’s as if he knows the movement of the ball before it happens.

Is it their souls or their spirits that I see and hear resonating among these masters? I really don’t know.

Mastery is all around me. As an attorney I hear it through lawyers in how they speak and understand the legal world. Whether it’s before a jury, in a brief written to a court, or giving validation and justice to their clients through the time and attention they give them. By releasing who they are, they share with their clients, and the rest of us so much more than a legal solution.

I love experiencing mastery. It is a gift that is given by spending years developing and honing skills, be it of the hands, eyes, voice, mind or heart. The closer attention I give to what these masters are doing and how it makes me feel, the more deeply I appreciate who they are and the gifts I receive.

There are so many elements that are behind what masterful people do. It’s a cacophony of factors. I know it when I see, hear and feel it. They have tapped into a part of who they are. I think that is the secret. Or, at least it is for me. The unique expression of each soul being expressed into the world.

Growing up with a mom who is a classically trained pianist, I’ve heard different people play the same music she plays. I think “They can’t be playing the same notes”, but they are. Each person playing strikingly different. Not copying or imitating another, but playing what comes from inside of them. As if there is no other way.

It is through each one of us continually seeking, exploring and discovering who we are at our core and releasing it through what we do that we share our mastery. It is not easy, especially at first. But by being willing to dig deep, we release the greatest treasures buried within us and those around us.

One year ago I started to play the guitar. I’ve never played a musical instrument. It was frustrating and very difficult at first. While I have not even come close to mastering it, and I may never, I play better than even two months ago. The more I practice, I can feel and hear my way of playing a song. Being a master of the guitar is not my goal. Expressing an aspect of who I am through the guitar is the experience I am seeking.

Each one of us has so much we can seek to master. It’s an amazing opportunity in many different aspects of our life- be it music, sports, the law, relationships, our hearts or minds- to make life richer for everyone.

What are you seeking to master and why? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.