Eighteenth-century German musician and composer Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most revered musicians of all time. At the age of 5, he already displayed rare talent playing the violin under his father’s tutelage. By age 13, Beethoven had already composed his first piano variations and baffled the audience with his prodigy.
Beethoven’s lifework includes nine majestic symphonies, five piano concertos, numerous chamber music pieces, sonatas, and individual violin and piano pieces. His genius stands out among history’s unparalleled musical talents, such as those of his contemporaries Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
What makes Beethoven’s life story unique is the early onset of a physical ailment that could have stopped the virtuoso from continuing to produce masterpieces.
Beethoven started losing his hearing in his 20s, but his hearing loss never stopped him from composing, playing or conducting. By 1810, Beethoven was 40 years old and almost completely deaf. Yet, he composed some of his most prolific and admired works during that time.
When he reached his 50s, Beethoven’s work depended completely on his ability to feel the music through vibrations and his memories of sounds. According to an account from his housekeeper, he would sit at the piano with a pencil in his mouth, touching the other end of the pencil against the piano’s soundboard to feel the vibrations.
He fought his disability to the end, never giving in to the difficulties that assailed him.
Perhaps Beethoven’s character and resolve can be best described by his own words. According to witness accounts, in a moment of frustration, he shouted as he slammed both fists on the keyboard, “I will take life by the throat!”
My husband and I love history. We enjoy reading biographies and watching documentaries about men and women whose strength, courage and resilience defy all human reasoning.
One day, while watching a documentary about D-Day, I was overcome by the courage of those young men as they stepped out of the boats in Normandy. The danger of the operation did not escape them before they started the charge. Some were as young as 17 years old.
“These men were cut from a different cloth,” I said, as the reality of that fatal day became more vivid than when I read about it in a book.
“No,” my husband said. “They believed in something and fought for it.”
Steve was right.
As we face the beginning of a new year, we can be sure there will be stumbling blocks in our paths. Some of us will have bad lab test results; others will be disappointed or discouraged by people we least expect. Others will want to quit because the road to our goals became too hard to travel.
But as people of faith, we understand that the obstacles to our goals, when seen from the right perspective, exist to prepare us for our destiny. The apostle Paul had that perspective and wrote about it in the fifth chapter of his letter to the Roman church:
“(…) we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint (…).”
The truth is — whether it’s a disability, fear or obstacle in the way of our dreams — the difference between those who never live up to their full potential and those who impact history is as simple as Beethoven’s words and my husband’s conclusions.
When obstacles arise in their path, they choose one of two options: they give in and never find out what God would have done in and through them, or they “take life by the throat” and “fight for what they believe.”
Whether their names end up in history books does not matter. Those who persevere through suffering and obstacles develop character, and their character produces hope whose fruit does not disappoint. They reach their destiny.
This year, when you stumble and fall, when obstacles come, or bad news abounds — what will you choose to do?
Patricia Holbrook is a columnist, author, podcaster and international speaker. Visit her new website: patriciaholbrook.com. For speaking engagements and comments, email patricia@patriciaholbrook.com.
About the Author
