I knew I wanted to take piano lessons when I turned 7 years old. My sister and I had a plastic toy keyboard, and I was drawn to it. Every Sunday, I loved watching the praise band play the instruments at church. It was so intriguing and beautiful.
The first thing I learned from piano was patience.
I had my first piano lesson in the apartment of my church's pianist. I learned how to sit up straight at the piano, how to lay my feet flat on the floor, and how to place my hands in a relaxed "C" position. These were the basics. I learned notes, keys, time, measures, beats, staffs, clefs, pedals, and more. I learned the silly acronyms that I still use today: FACE, All Cows Eat Grass, Go Beat Drum for Army, and Every Good Boy Does Fine. One of my first songs was "Hot Cross Buns," and I was so proud to play it.
Piano takes patience. You start at the bottom and build your skills over time. It takes a lot of practice. Even if you have played for years, sometimes you still need to go back to the basics. When you don't get it the first time, have patience. When you have a goal you can't quite reach yet, have patience. You will get there.
When my family moved from Ohio to Georgia, I had to leave a lot of things, including my piano teacher, but, if I had never moved, I wouldn't have met my second teacher. I remember my shy, quiet, third-grade self feeling so nervous when I approached her house, but those nerves quickly disappeared when I realized how much of a kind, sweet, and fun person she was.
The second lesson that piano taught me was how to make music from mistakes and find joy in the journey.
I made mistakes during lessons every week, missing notes and playing the wrong ones. You just kind of cringe and laugh. Making mistakes is a part of life, and you learn from them every single time.
Part of playing the piano also involves performance. As an introvert, performing terrified me. I had been in several recitals, but my first big performance was a talent show at my middle school. My piano teacher equipped me for that night. She said, "If you mess up, just keep going." I messed up two times during my performance, but I kept on going and made the mistakes a part of the piece.
Lastly, piano taught me that a voice can come in many different forms.
You don't have to be the loudest, most outgoing, or most outspoken person to have a voice. There are other ways to make an impact. Expression comes in several ways, one of which is music. Music is a universal language. It can speak to people and evoke emotion. Be creative when it comes to your unique qualities, talents, and spiritual gifts. They are strengths!
- M
