Haiku #11 A little dash of regret...

Everybody has something that they regret. When I was a little kid, my mom told me I probably shouldn't give up on piano lessons just yet.  But, in my finite mind, a year had been plenty.  In fact, it had been more than enough! I never really learned how to practice, but my teacher had never really appreciated my knack for "inventing new songs." So, why would I want to stick around and learn to play other people's songs? Duh!  I will just quit.  This piano stuff wasn't fun.

Then, fast forward to high school me who discovered how much I love to sing.  Which led to more singing, and voice lessons, and choir, and a college scholarship, and even a job at Ballet West singing in the pit. But, I couldn't play.  Hardly at all.  To make up for some of the bad decision I made as a child, I decided to face my fears and minor in music.

So, I took the piano class and the music theory, sight singing and ear training class. I learned a lot, accomplished even more and became better. I could play basics now, but I still couldn't play well.

So, I tried one more time. I was a mom of two girls and I decided to play the piano everyday for a half hour.  I had a goal to play for a year and I didn't miss a day.  Well, I did, but I tried to play ahead of time or make up for the days I missed.  I was hardcore.  And...I can play better but not as well as I wish. I guess I haven't hit that 10,000 hour rule Malcolm Gladwell set.

I talked with a friend tonight about what it is like to have a skill and see it slip away.  If you don't really use that skill, it will inevitably fall through the cracks in your mind and get wedged between your 8th grade history class notes, and common algebra equations.  It made me think that even as I am not the greatest player, unless I keep trying and playing, I could lose what I have! It might not be much, but I have scraped and scratched so hard just to have the musical talent I do have and I am not willing to lose it.

Thank goodness I'm a voice teacher now and I get to use this sweet little $500 piano that was being sold off to make room for fancy new pianos.  I would love to know the back history of where our little piano really came from.  But all in all, it has been my companion through each voice lesson I've taught and someday I will hit that 10,000 hours and will be able to truly play something amazing.

Charlie Brown Piano
by Kate Cowan

My Hallet Davis,
with its sweet simple wood grain,
fills the house with sound.