Tickling the Ivories

I started taking piano lessons when I was 8 years old. At first I was so excited, so determined, so driven. That lasted a year or two. Then...I hated it. Practicing was a chore. Going to lessons was a fight. My mom's goal for me was to have me play hymns at church. My goal for me was to convince my mom to let me quit.

Fast forward to EFY (a church camp) that I went to when I was 14 years old. I saw kids my age, or a bit older, playing the piano with ease. They played hymns like whatever. I thought to myself, "I have 6 years of lessons under my belt, what makes them any different from me?"

Love. That's what they had...and I didn't. They had a genuine love for the piano.

So I came home from that camp inspired. I picked up a hymn book and ran through it, cover to cover, every day. It turns out, accompanying a group of people wasn't as easy as it seemed. I started small, playing right hand only, and upgraded to the organ. I got to a point where I could definitely play along, but I still had to practice a ton before the songs reached perfection, or somewhere close to it. I was also at the point that any solo, accompaniment, or performance in general made me extremely nervous. Sweaty palms, shaky hands...I had all the symptoms.

I thought about this today as I practiced the piano...About how much I used to hate it. But now, it's turned into something that's almost theraputic. Stressful day? Take it out on the piano. Frustration? Take it out on the piano. Anger, pressure, annoyance, happiness? Take it all out on the piano. I can't tell you how good it feels to go all out on a song. To exagerate every passage. To hit the sixteenth-note runs. To pound some chords. The trick is to get into every song. To lose yourself in the music, moving your body along with the rhythm. That's when you feel it. The pain in your fingers, forearms, and upper back. Worth it.

The piano is so useful as well. I can accompany people, I can entertain people. There's all types of genres--it's so awesome.I've gotten to the point that I can pick up nearly any song and play it. I no longer need a teacher, I teach myself...and other people for that matter. I don't get nervous before nearly anything...and it feels so good. The best is when I sit down for two hours and just practice. I don't get tired, I don't get sick of it.

So today I realized it. I have fallen in love with the piano.