Law of the Harvest

I find it helpful to remember the Law of the Harvest in my teaching and in my life. The Law of the Harvest states that whatever I sow is what I am eventually going to reap. Plant a carrot seed, and I get a carrot. Plant a corn kernel, take care of it with water and sunshine, and, with patience, I’ll enjoy sweet, fresh corn. Plant nothing, and I harvest nothing. It’s all up to me.

In my teaching, this means that I have to plan carefully in advance what results I want to “harvest” from my students. If I want to enjoy a good harvest, I have to plant the right seeds months ahead of time. If I want a student to play with excellent technique, I have to train correct habits from the very beginning, starting at the first lesson. Failing to teach and expect the correct technique from the beginning, rather simply hoping that eventually they’ll “catch on”, is kind of like planting an apple seed and watching it grow, all the while hoping that you just might someday get a plum. All the wishing in the world cannot make it happen.

If I want my students to actually love music and music making, I have to plant these seeds early on, too. I must regularly share my own love and passion for music and playing piano, and teach with a compassionate, caring touch. This way my harvest can include students who want to make music for a lifetime, not just until the practice timer goes off. If I want my high school students to have a good ear, I should start having them dictate little melodies early on, while they are still in elementary school. I even like to teach the Law of the Harvest to my students, so they can understand that how they learn and practice a piece from the very first week will effect in a large way how they perform it months later. If they plant the seeds of sloppy fingerings and inattention to detail early on, they will harvest a sloppy performance. On the other hand, if they plant the seeds of careful learning with full attention to detail, they will harvest a polished and confident performance they can be truly proud of.

The Law of the Harvest applies equally well to our relationships with others. If I want to enjoy the respect of others, I need to plant the seeds of always acting with integrity and treating others with respect. If I want others to speak well of me, I must speak well of others. If I want friendship, I need to be a friend. In my own little family of 4, I have found that the single best way to feel more loved is to start giving more love away. It always comes back to me, without fail. That’s the Law of the Harvest.