42 - Ms. Piano Girl

One of life’s great and universal regrets is: “I should have continued taking piano lessons.” I’ve never heard anyone say, looking back, that they were glad they stopped.

I’m one of those who regrets quitting. I took lessons from about age 6 or 7 into the early teenage years and then was tired of practicing and tired of my “meanie teacher,” who was, actually quite brilliant. I took more lessons in college and more again after the mission. So, thankfully, I did eventually see the light, but it would have been much wiser to stick with it earlier on.

While I didn’t want to play the piano when I was little (I wanted to stay in my ballet class – and, even told my teacher when I had to quit to take piano, that I was going to earn my own money and come back); it is, now, one of the great blessings in my life. Thanks, Mom & Dad! I suppose this almost makes up for the Lake Tahoe tragedy.

One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon is sit at my piano, with the sun streaming through the windows, and play my piano. It is therapeutic, inspiring, and uplifting. I love having music in my home and I especially love piano music. And – I love the piano itself. It is beautiful. I planned my whole living room around my piano. I carpeted and painted to blend with the piano. I bought artwork, rugs, chairs, vases, candles and even my couch to compliment this beautiful instrument. My Christmas decorations – down to the type of material in the tree skirt match it. My tile, countertops and decorations above the cabinets in the nearby kitchen echo the piano color. I’d like to say my home is all about me…and it is, in part…but really – it’s all about the piano. And I love it. #42 on my list of Favorite Things is MY PIANO.