Sing us a song you're the piano man
Between my office tower and the parking garage where I leave my car is a piano store. I walk by that store, and gaze into the windows, every single working day. Last night walking by I spotted a little girl, perhaps 8 years old, with her hair in Princess Leia buns, waling away on one of the keyboards, head rocking back and forth ala Stevie Wonder, completely lost in the sounds she was making.
It made me so sad I nearly wept.
As far back as I can remember I've wanted to play the piano. I tinkered on every piano I saw, at friends' houses, at obscure relatives' homes, at piano displays at the mall. I begged my parents for a piano and lessons but there was never enough money, and never enough room in our tiny house. Finally I tucked that dream away and vowed when I was a grown-up I'd buy myself a piano and learn to play.
In highschool I signed up for lessons but with nowhere to practice it quickly became evident that I'd never get anywhere. After a couple of months I stopped, and promised myself when I was on my own I'd buy myself a piano and take lessons.
I moved out, got a job, had a baby, went to college. I read second hand piano ads and flyers for digital pianos, and promised myself as soon as I had a house I'd buy myself a piano and take lessons.
I got married, got a good job, bought a house and continued to dream, continued watching the want ads for second hand pianos. Saw my friends buying pianos. Promised myself that for my thirtieth birthday I'd buy myself a piano and take lessons.
My thirtieth birthday is long since gone. There's not enough money, there's not enough room with all 5 of us packed into our 950 sq ft home. I've come full circle.
At what point do you bury your dreams? At what point do you admit to yourself that no matter how much you long for something it simply isn't going to happen?
I hope Princess Leia's parents were buying her a piano last night.
It made me so sad I nearly wept.
As far back as I can remember I've wanted to play the piano. I tinkered on every piano I saw, at friends' houses, at obscure relatives' homes, at piano displays at the mall. I begged my parents for a piano and lessons but there was never enough money, and never enough room in our tiny house. Finally I tucked that dream away and vowed when I was a grown-up I'd buy myself a piano and learn to play.
In highschool I signed up for lessons but with nowhere to practice it quickly became evident that I'd never get anywhere. After a couple of months I stopped, and promised myself when I was on my own I'd buy myself a piano and take lessons.
I moved out, got a job, had a baby, went to college. I read second hand piano ads and flyers for digital pianos, and promised myself as soon as I had a house I'd buy myself a piano and take lessons.
I got married, got a good job, bought a house and continued to dream, continued watching the want ads for second hand pianos. Saw my friends buying pianos. Promised myself that for my thirtieth birthday I'd buy myself a piano and take lessons.
My thirtieth birthday is long since gone. There's not enough money, there's not enough room with all 5 of us packed into our 950 sq ft home. I've come full circle.
At what point do you bury your dreams? At what point do you admit to yourself that no matter how much you long for something it simply isn't going to happen?
I hope Princess Leia's parents were buying her a piano last night.
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