My friend Laura became a brilliant cellist at a young age. Cello was her tool to feel significant and loved, and also a way to avoid the grief of her mother’s passing. Most of her social interactions involved showcasing her cello talent.
When she was 18, Laura decided to begin the separation from what she did to who she was, and attend a gathering without her cello. As she told me: “Beginning Shabbat observance (which prohibits playing music on the Sabbath) was the glue that began the process, and having children was the cement (to an identity separate from a musician).”
When Laura posed for me, I asked if she wanted me to draw her while she played cello.
“I don’t think so,” she said. “I would like it to be just us.”
Follow Laura’s cellist journey on Instagram @LauraMelnicoff
