SOMETHING TO PONDER UPON....

[narissa_G]

THE PIANO LESSON

I am a former elementary school music teacher from DesMoines, Iowa. I've
always supplemented my income by teaching piano lessons--something I've
done for over 30 years.
>
> Over the years I found that children have many levels of musical ability.
I've never had the pleasure of having a protege though I have taught some
talented students. However I've also had my share of what I call
"musically challenged" pupils.
>
> One such student was Robby. Robby was 11 years old when his mother
> (a single Mom) dropped him off for his first piano lesson. I prefer
> that students (especially boys!) begin at an earlier age, which I
> explained to Robby. But Robby said that it had always been his mother's
dream to hear him play the piano. So I took him as a student.
>
> Well, Robby began with his piano lessons and from the beginning I thought
it was a hopeless endeavor. As much as Robby tried, he lacked the sense of
tone and basic rhythm needed to excel. But he dutifully
> reviewed his scales and some elementary pieces that I require all my
> students to learn.
>
> Over the months he tried and tried while I listened and cringed and
> tried to encourage him. At the end of each weekly lesson he always say,
"My mom's going to hear me play some day." But it seemed hopeless. He
just did not have any inborn ability. I only knew his mother from a
distance as she dropped Robby off or waited in her aged car to pick him up.
She always waved and smiled but never stopped in.
>
> Then one day Robby stopped coming to our lessons. I thought about
> calling him but assumed, because of his lack of ability, that he had
decided to pursue something else. I also was glad that he stopped coming.
He was a bad advertisement for my teaching! Several weeks
> later I mailed to the student's homes a flyer on the upcoming recital.
>
> To my surprise Robby (who received a flyer) asked me if he could be
> in the recital. I told him that the recital was for current pupils and
> because he had dropped out he really did not qualify. He said that his
Mom had been sick and unable to take him to piano lessons but he was
> still practicing.
>
> "Miss Hondorf...I've just got to play!" he insisted.I don't know
> what led me to allow him to play in the recital. Maybe it was his
persistence or maybe it was something inside of me saying that it
> would be all right. The night for the recital came. The high school
gymnasium was packed with parents, friends and relatives.
>
> I put Robby up last in the program before I was to come up and thank
> all the students and play a finishing piece.I thought that any damage he
would do would come at the end of the program and I could always salvage
his poor performance through my "curtain closer."
>
> Well, the recital went off without a hitch. The students had been
> practicing and it showed. Then Robby came up on stage. His clothes were
wrinkled and his hair looked like he' run an eggbeater through it.
>
> "Why didn't he dress up like the other students?" I thought. "Why didn't
his mother at least make him comb his hair for this special
> night?"
>
> Robby pulled out the piano bench and he began. I was surprised when
> he announced that he had chosen Mozart's Concerto #21 in C Major. I
> was not prepared for what I heard next. His fingers were light on the
keys, they even danced nimbly on the ivories. He went from pianissimo to
fortissimo...from allegro to virtuoso. His suspended chords that Mozart
demands were magnificent! Never had I heard Mozart played so well by
people his age. After six and a half minutes he ended in a grand crescendo
and everyone was on their feet in wild applause. Overcome and in tears I
ran up on stage and put my arms around Robby in joy.
>
> "I've never heard you play like that Robby! How'd you do it?" Through
the microphone Robby explained:
>
> "Well Miss Hondorf...remember I told you my Mom was sick? Well, actually
she had cancer and passed away this morning. And well....she was born deaf
so tonight was the first time she ever heard me play. I wanted to make it
special."
>
> There wasn't a dry eye in the house that evening. As the people from
Social Services led Robby from the stage to be placed into foster
> care, I noticed that even their eyes were red and puffy and I thought to
myself how much richer my life had been for taking Robby as my pupil.
>
> No, I've never had a protege but that night I became a protege...of
Robby's. He was the teacher and I was the pupil. For it
> is he that taught me the meaning of perseverance and love and believing
> in yourself and maybe even taking a chance in someone and you don' know
> why. This is especially meaningful to me since after serving in Desert
> Storm Robby was killed in the senseless bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah
> Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April of 1995, where he was
> reportedly....playing the piano. And now, a footnote to the story.
>
> If you are thinking about forwarding this message, you are probably
> thinking about which people on your address list aren't the
> "appropriate" ones to receive this type of message. The person who sent
this to you believes that we can all make a difference. We all have
thousands of opportunities a day to help realize God's plan. So many
seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice:
Do we pass along a spark of the Divine? Or do we pass up that opportunity
leave the world a bit colder in the process?

[mhnew]

A beautiful story indeed..

[bluerattlesnake]

That was truly deep, where did you get such a true story like that???????

+ I thought I could write, I think i got competition , nah i'm truly beaten! That's was truly great and it touched my heart - just shows how sweet and wonderfully talented you are making you even more special to us + to the world!
Keep it up, miss ya
love .........

[IRONMAN]

SIS. NARISSA_G,

I HAVE GOT NO WORDS TO COMMENT ON THIS, BECAUSE LOVE IS THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALLAH. BEING LOVED IS GOOD, BUT TO LOVE IS MORE THEN EVERY THING.

THERE ARE TEACHERS OF MATHS & PHYSICS & PIANO BUT NO ONE CAN TEACH LOVE EXCEPT THE GOD HIMSELF.

"And all for love and nothing for reward."

BHAI.

[narissa_G]

Guys.... I didn't write this. It was forwarded to me by a friend. But indeed, it is beautiful.

Blue... nobody can beat you in writing, moreover me.

I have good quality friends here... a writer, a nobleman and the smart witty smart. Me? I am ....... Tasmanian Devil.... he he he he

[IRONMAN]

Originally posted by narissa_G
Guys.... I didn't write this. It was forwarded to me by a friend. But indeed, it is beautiful.

Blue... nobody can beat you in writing, moreover me.

I have good quality friends here... a writer, a nobleman and the smart witty smart. Me? I am ....... Tasmanian Devil.... he he he he

SIS. NARISSA_G,

I KNEW IT WAS NOT UR CREATION, BUT IT WAS UR SELECTION & OF COURSE A GOOD SELECTION IS MADE BY GOOD MINDS. KEEP IT UP.

IRONMAN (BHAI.)

[narissa_G]

Originally posted by IRONMAN

SIS. NARISSA_G,

I KNEW IT WAS NOT UR CREATION, BUT IT WAS UR SELECTION & OF COURSE A GOOD SELECTION IS MADE BY GOOD MINDS. KEEP IT UP.

IRONMAN (BHAI.)

Bhai,

You always say good and nice things to me... thank you.
By the way, you're the nobleman.