The Piano Teacher

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Most parents believe that participation in extracurricular activities affects a child in a lot of good ways. My parents were no exception. After school, I was always being driven from piano to basketball to swimming and so on. At the time, I thought I was the world's busiest kid. But after all these years, I can easily see that I have gained some really important benefits from those activities. Playing the piano is probably the greatest benefit.

However, it would be a big lie for me to say that my appreciation for playing the piano came immediately. From the time I was ten years old until I was twelve or thirteen, I absolutely detested Sunday afternoons. Of course by then, it was not called Sunday for me but the torturous "piano day." I had to practice all the morning before the lesson in the afternoon, and became totally exhausted in the evening. When it was finally over, I had great relief, as if an incredible amount of weight had been pulled from my shoulders.

In those days, I never got to see the importance of having those lessons, practicing for hours, and even playing those tunes. As much as I tried, I could never find a way to enjoy it; it was no more than some never-ending horrible homework for me. But today, I thank my teacher for forcing me to appreciate the art of music. Now, I can easily list playing the piano as one of the most refreshing aspects of my life. Whenever I feel down, I always have the chance to be up in clouds after a couple of minutes. Swaying back and forth, I can surrender myself to the soothing tunes and get lost in the harmony. I believe very few people have that kind of luxury and I'm absolutely grateful for that.

Although I never recognized by then, because of those lessons I became more disciplined as a human being. As I developed self-control, I gained confidence. I learned how to manage my time more effectively. Even though it was more in the subconscious level at the time, I also grew spiritually by recognizing the power of music. Yes, I hated the lessons and practicing, but what I hate was not the music itself.

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