Life is Improvisation

Throughout this book, Mary Catherine Bateson compares living a successful life to improvisation. It is like when a jazz musician improvises a piece of music. They start with bits and pieces of tunes that are already familiar and then draw those unrelated pieces of music together to create a unique piece of music.

Composing a life is very similar. Every detail is very seldom planned in advance. Individuals respond to circumstances that life brings them and create a next step.

Improvisation requires flexibility and adaptability. It also requires awareness. Those who are successful in living life as improvisation are those who are very aware of their surroundings. They respond to needs and nurture those around them.

Life is also improvisation, because it is full of surprises. No two days are ever exactly the same. Wisdom comes from practicing responses to the discontinuities or the fits and...