To stay or to leave

I’m in music since an early age, but due to circumstances, I was never really surrounded by people from these circles. I wasn't born into a family of musicians nor I’m very close to music people in general. The town I got “stuck in” for family, financial, and other personal reasons, doesn’t have a particularly diverse music scene, especially when it comes to my prime interest: instrumental music.

However, for the past decade and more, I somehow managed to make ends meet through various music-related activities. This of course assumed a lot of compromises. The life of an artist is full of these, although it doesn’t seem so at first glance. Some compromises I was prepared to gladly accept, some others not at all. I was forced to pass on some good opportunities for various reasons. Anyhow, I never had too many choices at hand.

Be it as it may, wandering far away from your home into the great unknown is extremely difficult and requires a great deal of courage and self-assurance. Unfortunately, I’m not an especially brave and risk-prone person, although I’m well aware of my qualities at the same time. Self-confidence, however, largely depends on others and their acceptance of you - as you are. If you don’t have such experiences with people, you can’t possibly feel ready to “take on the world”.

Although we’re living in a “world without borders” and interconnectivity, there are still numerous examples of those who “made it” only after they drifted far away from their homes, leaving behind all things familiar and dear to them. Many made this step due to necessity and even desperation. But some seem to honestly believe that a far better world is waiting somewhere out there. Many of those eventually got back home with their tail between their legs, even though only a few will openly admit this.

For example, one of my neighbors went abroad a while ago. After a couple of years, he began returning home with some tangible results. A nice car, a good-looking woman, and of course, the money. The “poor sods” left behind started to talk: “See, this one also made it out there.” But nobody commented on the fact that the said neighbor is spending day after day on his knees, doing backbreaking manual labor that will eventually cost him his health.

One thing’s for certain. You are always a stranger out there. Regardless of how good you are at something, you will always be treated as a stranger or will feel like one most of the time. It is especially hard if you are alone, without a family or close people by your side. At home, you have an advantage of a well-known terrain and people you can always count on. Or at least those you know what to expect from.

The rare ones who made it out there and are now living a much happier life than they had back home, tend to be quite condescending about it. Saying that those who are not prepared for such a step don’t deserve success and happiness anyway. Rubbish. Everyone is entitled to those in their capacity. At least, this is how it should be.