It was over in an hour. And it was fantastic!!. But when it started, I failed to appreciate just what a gift we were given.

We went with friends to hear the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra play in Garfield Park. It was a free summer concert on a perfect evening. The music started and I settled in. But, before they had finished the first piece, I noticed something. I noticed the orchestra. I noticed our friend Roger playing the English Horn. Then I noticed each individual. Over 100 professional musicians.

Do you know how easy it is to take this incredible gift for granted? There we were, listening to some of the world’s finest musicians pooling their gifts to contribute these incredible musical gifts to me. Over 100 individuals!! Probably millions of hours of practice as each individual has trained for decades to bring this one sound to this one evening. And there were hundreds of thousands of dollars of musical instruments. And there were all the music teachers who trained all these musicians.

There there were the sound people who had put up the microphones so the music sailed across the park. And the police who managed traffic, and the United Moving Van which had hauled the chairs, stands and music to the park.

And there were all the years of tender care given by hundreds of people to help the park become what it was—a public place open to all. And all the citizens who paid taxes over the decades to keep the park going and pay for the musicians to be there.

And there they all were—all these incredible gifts—to make one hour of fantastic music.

None of us lives to ourselves alone. All that makes life full and rich is the result of a complex tapestry of lives woven into each hour we live.

Be thankful.