Piano

Five dear little persons ages 8-12.

Each student reported having fun playing their piece at the recital

At the tender age of seven, I was given the gift of a means of musical expression: the piano! With the support and investment of my parents and the skilled hand of Beverly T., piano became my first love. In a letter from Mrs. T. this week, she is learning to knit in her upper 80's!

Now, almost 30 years on, I had the joy of passing that on, at the same price per lesson for five beginning students. It was delightful to observe their growth and individuality. We celebrated with a casual recital after ten weeks of learning.

Thanks to the students and their families for the opportunity of teaching piano lessons for the first time!

It took awhile to get a photo in focus

Beauty, Music...are free gifts...

These Days

I check the weather, some family blogs, one email account, no longer a work address. I check my 'dumb phone' for messages of voice or text, when I can find it, which is a disturbingly small percentage of any given day..and that's all: the parameters of my here and now.

'That's all,' I say.

That's all I got done today. That's all the dishes. That's all I can take. That's all the time there is. That's all the cheerios. That's all my energy. That's all I can think of.

But wait- what JOY do I reside in! - the glory of Hope inside, the mercies of a new day, the mystery of being loved, the guidance for loving, the senses for beauty, the visible and invisible, knowing our Maker, and beyond such comforts in life!

What can I say to this?! To borrow from my father: everything is a gift. Let my soul overflow, even spill slowly, the gratefulness of being truly alive.

So in these moments- O fleeting lifespan of flowers of the field- might I say instead of 'That's all', 'These are my riches!'