At St. Mary’s Hall, a crowd of all ages gathered for music, breakfast and coffee for one of the Victoria Bach Festival’s family concerts. Our Emerging Artists Coordinator Faith Debow was spellbinding the crowd with her keyboard talents.

As I was mesmerized by the music, I saw a toddler escape the clutches of her mother and make e a bee line toward Faith at the piano.

I was first horrified, then judgmental and then helpless to intervene. What ensued next was mystical. As she neared Faith, her eyes were affixed on the pianist. The little girl slowed down a bit and then placed her small hand on Faith’s right wrist as she was playing. Faith gave the little girl a friendly look, not missing a beat,  and the little girl, then satisfied, walked back to her panic-stricken mom, as Faith finished the music. 

Watching that happen prompted me to a bit of guilt for having those judgmental thoughts. But then relief that no one had attempted to intervene in this encounter. After all, the free breakfast concerts are for families and little girls like the one who was transfixed on Faith. When it comes to music, arts and even matters of faith, there is a place for children, their innocence, their precociousness and their curious young minds.

It was as if this child had been touched by more than just the pianist whose hand she had touched. This scene could have gone wrong in so many ways, but instead it was a wonderfully fine teaching moment.

After the music and camaraderie were finished, I chanced to interact with Faith’s own mother, who’d traveled from Austin. When I remarked about the scene that had just transpired, Faith’s mom said that she had seen the same thing and remarked that “when Faith is playing, she’s in a zone” where nothing will hinder her. While that was undoubtedly true, the pure instinctive look she gave to her young admirer was precious.

 In today’s times, those who work with nonprofit organizations of all types are pressed by many challenges. At this very moment, many important  radio stations that bring us music and information on the arts are under siege since Congress has ended support for all public radio stations, such as our own KVRT/KEDT.

The scene that played out during that Bach breakfast concert was one that was timely and symbolic of the power that people have when they join together for something greater than themselves, such as presenting concerts in the mornings, lunch hours and evenings. The 50th Victoria Bach Festival season had many highlights and top of the mountain experiences, such as the Bach Great Mass dedicated to legacy and memory of Robby Burdge and the Juan Pablo Contreras world premier first symphony and the incomparable Anton Nel’s piano concert.

For me, that-early morning escapade will be deeply embedded in my heart.

The vision statement of VBF is “a world united by music.” It sounds lofty in some ways, but the morning encounter between that little girl and the pianist she wanted to touch was proof enough that music can bring people together in ways that build community.

Life brings us all kinds of choices as to where to spend our time and our gifts. The choice I made to wake up early and see that breakfast concert was one that I will forever be grateful for, and hope springs eternal that each of us find ways to volunteer and make a difference in the lives of others.

Yes, it is occasionally exhausting , but the race is worth the running when the fruits of our labor are joyful children, musicians and members of the community.

John Griffin, a Victoria attorney, is a long time diabetes volunteer and former chair of the Board of the American Diabetes Association.