Hobbied Coincidences

In the last few weeks, I've had a variety of strange coincidences related to people inquiring about the nature of my viola case.  This should not be particularly strange, except for the fact that I've played my instrument for 17 years and only gotten asked about it a few times in life.  To have 4-5 inquiries in the last two weeks is actually pretty strange, if not slightly encouraging.  Yesterday was inquiry no. 5, at a Trader Joe's, in which a clerk told me that his son has just started cello lessons, and loves it. I previously have had a Whole Foods clerk compliment me on pursuing arts as a career, since "the world so desperately needs the creative medium and the history of great creative minds before us."  This was especially encouraging as the man relayed that he was an immigrant from El Salvador, and that he wished that every child could have an education and opportunity to pursue the arts, like in Venezuela.  I had a woman in Sephora ask me slightly dumb but endearing questions about my viola as she reeled off the new Benefit line of products, and the man at Sur La Table helped me with an espresso sample as I explained my vocation.  Maybe Californians are just more curious, or my newish Bam case just draws more attention than it used to.  Maybe it's me-at the beach in Santa Barbara, a mother and her children (from Switzerland) asked me if I played the violin or the viola, since she recognized the trademark instrument induced hickey.  She asked what my particular career goals were and where I had attended university, which I appreciated.  It seems strange to have had so many related experiences in a short amount of time, but it encourages me of the value of art in society.  People are curious about musicians, artistis, creatives, and we have a responsibility to tell these people about what we do and why it's important.  There are so many meaningful careers these days-nursing, medicine, education, but the arts are something else, and I can't always articulate why art is meaningful, but I do, in my innermost being, believe that it has value in the human experience, and that is why I play.