There was a song I tried to play, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get it right.
The first few notes were easy… I thought this song would be a breeze. My heart was happy because it sounded beautiful at first. But then as my hands glided across the keys, one finger slipped and hit a flat.. and then a little further along, another slipped and hit a sharp.
That’s not how it was supposed to be. That is not how I imagined the music would sound. I thought it would all be beautiful and sweet.
The song in fact wasn’t easy – It was hard… at times really hard! The flats I hit were deflating, leaving me empty and filled with doubt.
The sharps I plunked left a surge of anxiety and pain. The difficult parts of the melody left sour notes in the core of my being and a wave of turbulence and uncertainty.
But then there were the amazingly beautiful parts of the song where it floated almost like a fairytale in a land of indescribable harmony and fulfillment.
During those times, my heart bubbled over with happiness and complete serenity as my fingers danced joyously over the keys.
The song turned out to be its own song, forging a path into an unknown melody.
Some stanzas were unsettling and obstacle-ridden, while others soared into a world of delightful tranquility and blissful satisfaction.
It was all mixed up into one grand, imperfect, at times fretful, and at other times endearing song. How could one song embody so much?
Maybe I wasn’t meant for this song but a different song; one that is easier with less turmoil and twists and turns?
But then, when I consider all the wistful, glorious moments of beauty and passion this song has held, I’m assured this is the song I was meant to play.
I know that even though I haven’t played all of it right, my fingers slipping and hitting a disappointing or challenging flat or sharp note at times, I’m stronger because of it.
Without the ups and downs I wouldn’t be who I am today. So in retrospect, I wouldn’t exchange this song for any other song.
This song – my song – has wrapped its arms around all those that I hold dear and has undoubtedly captured my heart.
Given the choice, you bet your ivory covered piano keys that I would play this song again!