We're constantly making choices. It's simply unavoidable. Just as an improv solo is up to the soloist, our lives are up to us. There are chord changes to follow if you so choose, but you have free will. You have the potential and ability to make it awesome or a complete suck-fest.
That said, what if we do screw up? And what if we decide to go for a note or rhythm we thought would sound cool and it ends up only hurting eardrums?
Well.
We want to brood about it and beat ourselves up and be upset that we made such a dumb mistake- "how did I ever think an F# would fit in an E Phrygian scale (thank you jazz improv 1)?" What we tend to not do is think about that mistake, forgive ourselves for it, and not make the same mistake again. I mean in the big scope of things ("perspective, Jess!", as my friend the drummer would say) what does it matter if we fail a class, or end a relationship that in all sadness and honesty just isn't going anywhere (not that ending it's a mistake, but it can sure seem like it at the time), or don't practice that extra hour and therefore don't have a piece memorized on time? Sure we'll have to pay the consequences, deal with the repercussions, but as weird as it sounds those can be beautifully liberating things. And the freedom to make a mistake is in no way an excuse, quite the opposite. We have the power to make not so good choices, and we also have the brains to learn from them. That's what's important.
I like the quote by someone I can't remember, "God is perfect, I don't have to be." I guess what I'm trying to say here is that stinking up a jazz solo doesn't mean that every solo from then on out will be horrendous as well. We're free in Christ, people, and that includes being free to forgive ourselves.
Easier said than done, I know. You can do it.
You CAN do it. It will take time and self discipline but you will get there. The mistakes we make are how we learn. At least we can be assured God will ALWAYS forgive us :-) Love you
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