A great pianist once explained to an interviewer how he prepared himself for his celebrated afternoon Sunday concert performances at Carnegie Hall. He would rise in the late morning, and slowly and carefully wash. He would then meticulously select and lay out each item of clothing he would wear, organized in a sequential pattern on his buffet. He likened it to a meditative ritual executed with considerable care. In a trance-like manner, he would slowly don each item of clothing. Apparently the whole process took some time, even as much as an hour. It’s a habit I’ve adopted myself to greet most every day, albeit nowhere near an hour, and not usually in preparation for some kind of public performance. Even then, the results have been remarkable. It never fails to settle my mood and calm me.
