William

You wrote me a long letter, for which I was glad. I feel that the emotional tenor of our friendship has always been one of growth and learning. When we first met, and when we conducted our first lessons together, I was impressed at how much you wanted to seek better knowledge and a clearer picture. This was all before I gained confidence that my way of teaching was the right path, that it had any value to the world. Your trust in me means a lot, and perhaps by itself is enough to sustain me in a lifelong pursuit of better pedagogy and greater musical heights. I practice nowhere near enough to make real all the lofty ideals we have sought together, but a dream unfulfilled is beautiful in and of itself. To have seen the pearly gates, and never enter, is better than having been to blind to never see. (And in another time and another life, I think a school along the lines of what we wanted to create shall do much good for the world, not only in putting forward a new vision for art but a new way for people like our parents.)