Monday, August 25, 2008

Learning to Like Myself

Usually I do not share my inner most feelings on my blog, but I found this story that really made me feel inspired and loved. I struggle with feelings of self worth as most everyone does. My biggest goal as of late is learning to like myself even when I am not making something "fabulous", when I am just "being" me.

This is a story of a young piano student. His mother, wishing to encourage him, “bought tickets for a performance of the great Polish pianist, Paderewski. The night of the concert arrived and the mother and son found their seats near the front of the concert hall. While the mother visited with friends, the boy slipped quietly away.
“Suddenly, it was time for the performance to begin and a single spotlight cut through the darkness of the concert hall to illuminate the grand piano on stage. Only then did the audience notice the little boy on the bench, innocently picking out ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.’
“His mother gasped, but before she could move, Paderewski appeared on stage and quickly moved to the keyboard. He whispered to the boy, ‘Don’t quit. Keep playing.’ And then, leaning over, the master reached down with his left hand and began filling in the bass part. Soon his right arm reached around the other side, encircling the child, to add a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice held the crowd mesmerized.
“In our lives, unpolished though we may be, it is the Master who surrounds us and whispers in our ear, time and time again, ‘Don’t quit. Keep playing.’ And as we do, He augments and supplements until a work of amazing beauty is created. He is right there with all of us, telling us over and over, ‘Keep playing.’ ”

So I am trying to "keep playing", moving forward in my quest to be a better person and to be that girl that I was meant to be...

7 comments:

Mary said...

I am also in the constant struggle you speak of, so thanks for letting me hear the story. I have the sneaking suspicion that your part in the middle would include some pretty fancy "twinkling".

Kate said...

I loved this. Thanks so much for sharing!!

hilari said...

that is beautiful mom. if anyone has been my example to keep playing, it has been you.

Kelli and Craig said...

Mom I love that story!

sara said...

Just beautiful.

Tanner Fam said...

I'd like to think that self-doubt leads to a piano playing out of tune...We may be playing the notes correctly, but it won't sound right. Be in tune with who you really are and no one can stop you from being a Mozart. I think you play beautifully.

Adam and Anya said...

Amen to that!

I really really enjoyed this story.