MTNA membership: the best investment you can make.(Dear Reader)(Music Teachers National Association)

We are living in unprecedented economic times. Despite the doom and gloom, a few days after the stock market's nearly 800-point collapse, a commentator on CNBC injected a bit of humor into the otherwise bleak conversation. When asked to give advice to viewers as to the best positions to be in to cope with the stock market's precipitous decline, his immediate response was "cash and fetal."

Indeed, it is a scary time. And you, as music teachers, are being impacted by the volatile economy like everyone else. You are coping with increasing prices, decreasing portfolios and the general loss of confidence in the markets, as well as the government's ability to remedy the situation. And I'm sure you, too, have questions about what the future holds.

I want to paint an optimistic vision for our nation, for our personal lives, our profession as music teachers and MTNA. I want to challenge any notion some may have that our best days are behind us. I want to celebrate our virtues as music teachers, and I want us to maximize our unique contributions to others in our society, especially as we confront our future.

I want to suggest that you have a crucial role in helping weather the storm. As you know, music has been very important in helping our citizens deal with most of our "trials by fire." As human beings, we express our deepest emotions through music. It comforts us, it gives us strength and it lifts our spirits. Music is the thread that holds the world together. And you, the music teachers, that spin thread. You have not only been given the gift of music, you ...