麻豆约拍

Good morning.

There used to a clich茅 about beauty contest hopefuls, that they all aspired to work with children, be successful in their career and promote world peace.听 Now none of us would dare suggest that success or world peace aren鈥檛 great goals 鈥� but success is highly subjective, and world peace does seem to be a very tall order for one person, however pretty听or talented.听听

Today, September 21st is the United Nations International Day of Peace.听 It was established back in 1981 with the stated goal of 鈥渃ommemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples.鈥�听

Today is also the day on which The English composer Gustav Holst was born, 145 years ago.听 His most successful work, The Planets Suite, contains a movement called 鈥榁enus, the bringer of Peace鈥�.

Success in Holst鈥檚 choice of career, that of composer, is pretty much as elusive as that lofty goal of world peace.听 But Holst believed in absolutes.听 His advice to other musicians was 鈥淣ever compose anything unless the not composing of it becomes a positive nuisance to you.鈥�听 听A lifelong teacher, his influence and example shaped the ideas and creative impulses of many, many students - notably at the St Paul鈥檚 School for Girls in London, where he taught for nearly 30 years.听 He worked hard and knew the value of practically unattainable goals.听 鈥淢usic鈥�, he said, 鈥渂eing identical with heaven, isn't a thing of momentary thrills, or even hourly ones. It's a condition of eternity.鈥澨� You could easily say the same of Peace.