When I was four years old, I decided I wanted to be a pianist. Like almost every young kid, I thought I was a musical prodigy. I constantly came up with my own songs on the keyboard we had in our living room that probably sounded awful to anyone besides me. Nevertheless, I told my mom I wanted to take piano lessons, and to this day I remember her face lighting up with excitement.
I maintained my initial excitement throughout the early years of my piano lessons. My teacher started by teaching me the typical beginner songs such as “Hot Cross Buns" and “Mary Had a Little Lamb." My mom encouraged me to practice every night by putting M&Ms on the piano keys and whenever I finished a song, I was allowed to eat them. Of course, it wasn't all fun and games because she set a timer for 30 minutes and I was only allowed to stop practicing once it went off.
Once I got older and became more involved in school and extracurricular activities, my interest in practicing piano dulled. I even considered quitting due to the stress of schoolwork, but my mom and I had made a deal that I wouldn't quit piano until I was 18. This led to constant complaining and arguments, but who doesn't argue with their mom when they are teenagers?
It's not easy to practice something over and over until you master it, but I learned discipline and learned to push myself to my highest potential through piano. There was a yearly recital in May where all of my piano teacher's students would play a song in front of a crowd. Every May for 14 years, I realized that my hard work and the days of complaining and getting yelled at by my mom paid off. In addition, I developed a strong friendship with my teacher. She became my confidant and gave me advice on love, school, and how to live a happy life. My teacher and my love of playing the piano got me through some of the hardest times in my life.
I remember when my mom drove my sister and I to piano practice once a week and we listened to Harry Potter on tape in the car. Piano contributed to my sister and I becoming as close as we are today. We strengthened our relationship while rebelling against our mom for making us take piano lessons, and when I got my driver's license we jammed out to “Stacy's Mom" in the car all the way to practice.
My mom making me play the piano means the world to me. Now that I'm in college, I don't play the piano anymore, and I can honestly say I miss my mom constantly stressing the importance of practicing piano. Playing the piano is so relaxing, and it relieved a lot of the stress I had throughout high school. Playing an instrument, whether it's the piano or the tuba, is so important to building character, gaining knowledge and discipline, and even forming relationships. I am immensely grateful to you Mom; thank you.
