In high school, a guest lecturer giving a talk about music asked if someone would explain the concept of syncopation. I raised my hand and said, "Syncopation means stressing beats in a measure where you wouldn't expect them to be. It's part of what makes jazz sound like jazz instead of like Classical music. Typically, in a Classical piece, if you have a 4/4 time signature, you'd expect the accents to fall on the first and third beats. In a jazz tune, though, the accents are more likely to fall on the second and fourth beats..."
The lecturer complimented my answer, and I was surprised that multiple students did, as well, after the talk. I remember at least four students considerately telling me some variation of, "That was impressive, the way you explained syncopation."
I walked out of the auditorium feeling as though I'd created a life-saving vaccine. That made me wonder, "How must people who have actually accomplished something, such as inventing a vaccine, feel? If you don't feel as though you can walk on water then, when would you ever feel that way?"
