Birthday of Pablo Casals

Even when he was 90 years old, Pablo Casals known as the world's greatest cellist, practiced this instrument for four or five hours every day. Someone asked him why at his age, he still worked so hard on the music, and he responded, "Because I think I am making some progress."

Pablo Casals was born on this day in 1876 and died in 1973. By the age of four, he was playing the piano and by six, he was composing songs with his father. Casals found inspiration in the natural world and in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. His expressive style of playing the cello influenced many others. Throughout his life this virtuoso was an opponent of tyrannical governments including Francisco Franco's.

To Name This Day:

In celebration of this musical genius's birthday, ponder and take to heart one of these pithy quotations of his:

This Special Moment
"Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe; a moment that never was before and never will be again."

Cherish Your Uniqueness
"Do you know who you are? You are unique. In the world, there is no child exactly like you."

Caring
"The capacity to care is the one thing which gives life its deepest meaning."

Human Enterprize
"I am everyday more convinced that the main-spring of any human enterprise must be moral strength and generosity."

Reframing Love Of One's Country
"To love one's country is a splendid thing but why should love stop at the border?"