On Teaching Music and Stress Relief

I am a musical person, always have been.  So, at twelve years old when my parents surprised me with a piano, I thought I had been given my best friend.  My mother laughs about how she did not have to ask, plead, or threaten me to get me to practice, but instead, there were days she had to ask me to stop. When I sat down with my first teacher, I quickly understood how to read music and advanced through the lessons quickly.  I loved learning new songs and sitting on the matching bench was the best part of my day. 

Over the years, time at the piano became meditative.  It was my stress relief.  I found it difficult to leave it behind when I left for college.  It took several years into my marriage before I was able to bring my childhood piano into my home.  My children grew up hearing their mother making music. At least most of the time.

One of my neighbors heard me playing and asked if I would teach her daughter.  It didn’t take me long to agree.   I thought, “I love music, I am good at it, I get along with this girl, I will make a little money doing something I love.  Isn’t that what all the experts say, ‘Do what you love?’” So I started and increased my cliental.  It was great.  As it turns out, I am a pretty good piano teacher.  I was having a great time--until I wasn’t.  I was happy spending several hours every week teaching piano, but then, one day, I realized I had not played, just to play, for months.  Music had become my work and the stress relief I used to get was gone.

I saw myself in this week’s readings.  I was the capable technician who hated working for myself.  It wasn’t the working for myself, or the music I hated, but the loss of the love I had for what I was doing.  As I consider my options for the $100 challenge, music lessons is always the first thing that comes to mind.  It is also the first thing to get crossed off the list.  I only keep it under consideration because I am prepared for the change.  I know how it feels and can be prepared for it.  As for now, it is still on my short list, but it is at the bottom. 

On Aprons, UFO’s, Accumulation and Not Letting Go

Graduation is less than a year away and I am scared.  But, let me back up a little. 

 

I am a wearer of aprons.  Most days I have one on.  It is something I started as a young mother to keep myself clean of runny noses and splatters from mac and cheese.  As my children grew, I continued to wear an apron as I completed my household chores because of the convenience of the pockets.  As I would go about my tasks for the day, I collected all the little things my family left behind. These UFOs (Unclaimed Found Objects) made their way into my pockets to be put away as I worked my way through the various rooms of my home. I always kept pen and paper for taking notes of things I needed to refill or replace, and by the end of the day, with six females living in the house, I had a hefty accumulation of hair accessories, mostly hair elastics and bobby pins.  There were Legos and Matchbox cars and always at least one puzzle piece with the occasional Domino. These fabulous pockets held little remnants of my life with my family.  Now the pen and paper have been replaced by a smart phone, the number of bobby pins has been reduced and I haven’t had to pick up a miniature car for several years.  Yet, I still wear my aprons. I still feel I need my aprons.

What does this have to do with business classes or graduation?  Just this, I don’t know what to do with my aprons. They represent much of who I am and what I have been doing with myself for the last 25 years.  I was confidently going about doing the things the Lord wanted me to do with the knowledge of why I was doing it.  I knew the role I was filling and loved it. When it was time to finish my education, I knew again, this is what the Lord intended for me, but this time it was without knowing the why.   Now, graduation is coming and I am scared.  

I watched the interview with Tom Monaghan, of Domino’s Pizza with fascination.  I was intrigued by his words referring to his work with Ava Maria University,

 “It is a privilege to be given the wisdom to see what God wants me to do.”  

Although I am actively seeking His guidance, I have not as yet been given this privilege.  So in the meantime, I am facing my last few classes and graduation with some trepidation.   What I do will have a significant impact on what I am, but I want what I am to be more significant.  As I ponder the avenues I could take with my new-found skills, it is thrilling to have so many choices before me. Of all the choices, I know I want to keep my aprons.  Perhaps I can make aprons for new young mothers, so they can fill their pockets with the lives of their own families. Perhaps they will love their apron as much as I have loved mine.

The Last Lecture: From One Who Has Hardly Begun

     I would like to invite you to journey with me.  I am not so far along the path; we can travel together.  Beginning is the hardest part, but quickly passed.  Take my hand and come along.  There are others farther up the path.  We can learn the way by following them and by wearing the trail a little wider, a bit smoother, we will help those who come next. Set aside fear of your inexperience and see there is no specific finish line or just one winner.  

     The first step isn’t far.  It is inside of you. Determine what you are and what you want to be.  This step can hurt as you learn to recognize areas in which you need improvement or attitudes which need to be left behind.  Quickly accept these things, drop them, or prepare to fix them.  Develop a plan for strengthening your weaknesses and follow it.  

     Be careful not to get stuck here.  Don’t let your doubts get hold of you.  Focus your path toward those places where you are strong.  Recognizing strength can be different from being prideful.  Pride is misplaced confidence, but confidence well placed gives you power to accomplish great things.  Believe in yourself.  Believe in your strength. 

   

     Look at your cheering section!  They see the strength in you.  They understand your need to grow.  They understand because they are on their own journey, discovering who they are and making themselves stronger too.  See how they cheer, not only for you, but for each other?  Join your voice to theirs and encourage others on their own path. 

 

     Keep in mind those who can’t or refuse to cheer.  They have their own power, but it is dangerous.  Theirs is the power to hold you down and keep you from accomplishing your goals.  While we cannot always avoid them, we can keep them from holding on to us.  Treating them with kindness is the only way to move beyond them.  Often, those stuck in fear don’t recognize what is happening to them.  Simple kindnesses can open their eyes and then they can begin to get themselves out.  Cheer for them and watch them grow.    

     Keep your eyes wide open.  There are many pitfalls and obstacles in this journey.  No success along this path is worth the price of your integrity.  Remember the first step of looking into yourself.  Remember who you are and who you want to be.  Remember those who are counting on you.  Remember the truth of eternity. 

     Come with me on this journey.  Let’s explore together.  I have heard there is much success and joy to be found.  It will be up to us to find it.  Let’s get our traveling shoes on and hit the road.  I am excited to see what is up ahead and happy to share the experience with you.