In my work as a classical musician, I perform mostly in chamber music ensembles with various other instruments. Some time ago I performed with another person in a duo ensemble for several years. It was a very happy musical relationship, and after each rehearsal he would comment on how much he enjoyed our collaboration. At one point we decided to commission a new piece together, and as part of the contract it was agreed that we would make the world premiere recording.
That summer, he performed the same piece abroad with another musician who played a different instrument than mine. This musician was a crossover player, combining jazz and classical. When my colleague returned, he told me that he’d decided to record the commissioned piece with the other person, as he preferred that instrument and the jazz style. To have this happen with what seemed like such a perfect ensemble was shocking—and I was deeply hurt. We had to break the contract, and though we worked out the details in a principled way, his decision signaled the end of our working relationship.
I asked a Christian Science practitioner to pray with me for a few days about this situation, realizing that first of all I needed to forgive my colleague. The practitioner pointed out that God is the only power governing my life, and in His total goodness there were unlimited opportunities. I prayed to see my friend as God sees him—to know that we were both ideas of God, expressing God’s goodness and equally loved and cared for. And I prayed to know that “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28). By keeping my focus on God’s love rather than the hurt, I knew I would be open to divine unfoldment. I was grateful for all the fine concerts we had performed in together and soon was able to forgive. From time to time I would see this individual at the college where he teaches and where I rehearse with other colleagues and our meetings were always friendly.
