Growing up, my grandmother had a piano at her apartment. She played beautifully and so I got to tinker around on her piano every time we visited. I always hoped one day I would have a piano.
Well, as it turned out, my husbands aunt worked for the Baldwin Piano Company. Every employee of Baldwin was allowed to purchase one organ and one piano at cost. Aunt Mary offered the piano purchase to us. Oh what a joy that was - such excitement - so many plans for our kids to play piano. Even I was going to take piano lessons.
We lived in a little town at the time and the local piano teacher lived on a farm. So I would take our oldest boy to the farm house for piano lessons and on the way home we would swing by the barn and buy fresh, just out of the cow, milk, cream and all. That was very cool. But that's another story.
Anyway after his lesson, he would come home and practice. Each day he would practice. We decided it was best to practice at the same time every day so because I wanted to support him and be a presence while he practiced, we chose right before dinner as practice time. So while I was preparing dinner in the kitchen, he was practicing in the dining room and we could see each other. I loved listening to him practice as I was busy preparing our evening meal. He never seemed to mind this practice time either.
I finally did take lessons, but just for a little while because mom duty and practice just didn't quite work out. Each of our children took piano lessons and each of the children had set practice times. For some practicing was an enjoyable time, for others not so much. But I never tired of listening to them practice or play.
One of our children could play be ear. Which meant he could listen and reproduce the music on the piano. I remember the piano teacher saying she wanted him to learn to read the music. And she was kind of upset that he was playing by ear. When he graduated from high school, he and his friend played a very difficult duet on the piano and every one was amazed that he had only taken lessons for a little while and it was a long, long time ago. He just had a knack for playing the piano. It didn't come easy though, he had to practice, practice and practice to be able to play that piece.
Each one of the children, at one time or another joined the school band. One of our boys tried the trombone for a while and then switched to the tuba and eventually to a drum and cymbals. Another one played trumpet. Our daughter played flute. And our oldest son played the Alto Sax and piano. When the kids were growing up, our home always seemed to be filled with some kind of practicing instrument.
To some parents the squawks and squeaks of a practicing instrument is practically painful. To me, it was a sweet sound. It spoke of commitment, dedication, persistence, bravery, fearlessness, discipline, accomplishment, hard work and so much more. And these were all qualities I admired and appreciated and was so very thankful and happy to see in my children. And am now seeing
in my grandchildren.
Sweet times and sweet sounds - that's the life!!!
"...the music of the strings makes you glad." Psalm 45:8b
"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5: 19, 20
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