Piano envy

I am jealous of my kids. Really! They have no idea how much I envy their ability to play piano as well as they do. Piano lessons start again next week (after the piano fixer guy comes Thursday to tune it and fix the key that's been stuck since early spring - nothing like waiting until the last possible minute to get it finally fixed!) and the kids are less than thrilled, at least on the outside. I do think a small part of them is ready to get back to it because they have been sitting down more often the last few days to refresh on the pieces they know. Plus I bought some new music, so I think they are a little excited about that. They'll never admit it though!

This is going on 4+ years of lessons for them and I tell them someday (it may take 20 years!), but someday, they will thank me for making them stick with it. Either that or they'll hate me and need therapy - I guess we'll wait and see which it is. I sometimes toy with the idea of taking lessons again too, but the reality is that I won't practice. Believe me, I have a list of excuses a mile long; so what would be the point of paying money to embarass myself on a weekly basis?

I am regularly asked by my children "Why do we have to do this?" My standard response is "I don't know anyone who later in life wishes they didn't know how to play piano, but I know lots of people, myself included, that wish they could." Plus I tell my son that girls really like guys who can play piano and cook (he's learning how to do that too). And so they continue on...and I will enjoy listening to their progress.