Exciting and Beautiful

As I've aged, I've changed taste from what I can broadly call exciting to beautiful.

I also think I've always had a sense, sometimes latent, of what beauty is. I think we each do.

An example: music.

As a youth, I was more easily excited. I would look for the most energetic, high-tempo pieces to play on the piano. How fast and how loud could my fingers play?

As I go on, I seek less excitement and value more of beauty, in subtlety, dynamics, soaring swells and pondering pianissimo.

I still like perspiring tempo Mannheim Steamroller's Motivator album. I still like jubilant celebration of Dave Bruebeck's Unsquare Dance. And I now add to that the surreal spiritual experience of taking in Andrea Bocelli singing the Lord's Prayer.

Why is that? Change in energy? Exposure to more of life's experiences? Development of different human emotion? Seeking for the long-lasting? Needing calm admidst increasing pressure, noise and activity? Learning to taste what is truly beautiful?