The piano will save you

The title of my blog post references two conversations I had with my mother over the years.  One took place, I believe when I was in college in the 1970s, the other when I was a young mother in the 1990s and my mom moved our little Baldwin piano to my house.

Both conversations took place in the context, that even if I was not going to pursue a career that involved piano, the piano, and the time I spent in lessons would "save me" during multiple peaks and valleys in my life.  In my early twenties, I laughed off my mother's statement as almost ridiculous, and in my early 40's I was simply too busy juggling the balls, of work, and family to think that anyone could save me from my far too busy life.

But now that I am in my 61st year, I finally understand what my mom was saying, and how much the piano has saved me from so many things, recuperation from "discussions" with adult children, making mistakes with friends that cannot be turned around, anxiety and worry from job pressures, working through family peaks and valleys both immediate and extended, and many other situations that make up life.

I now admit that all of the lessons have paid off, in the sense that I have a place to turn to, and a place where I can create, sort of a no judgment, no ridicule zone.  Whether it is working through a classical piece that is far too difficult, or leafing through a book of popular music, I can find music that will make any day better, even if I can only plink out the melody.

The practice of law can be so challenging, that sometimes, the worries can only be removed, when I play a Beatles song, a Mozart sonata, or a Bach prelude.  I can make the day better, just by getting to my peaceful place of 88 keys.

Music also helps me to work through how I interact with friends and families.  Through music, I can understand fences I need to mend, or bridges I need to build.  Music can be the background to devising a solution for almost any problem.  Music can also speak, when honestly, no words are exactly right.

When I first started taking piano lessons and playing, I sometimes became caught up in the smaller picture, glossing over a difficult measure to play through, or not practicing scales and arpeggios diligently, to improve my dexterity and hand position.  Perhaps if I had thought about what the piano would mean to me later in life, I would have realized how much I needed to look at the big picture, and the difference piano playing would make to me in so many ways.

I've mentioned in prior blog posts, how grateful I am when I come down the stairs and see my beautiful piano in the living room.  I think of all of the ways the piano by its very presence has changed my life.  And how my ability to play it, has taken me through the joys and struggles in my life.  It's quite amazing actually!

I renamed my blog

I loved the idea of my blog title 10000hours88keys.  I had listened to several radio segments about the concept of becoming an expert after spending 10000 hours trying to develop an expertise.  I thought of the 10000 hours as a potential goal.

As an adult amateur pianist, I began to get very discouraged about practicing for 10000 hours.  I even started to determine, using a calculator, if I practiced 2 hours a day for the next thirteen years, that would result in 10000 hours, and I would be 74.  10000 hours seemed far too daunting.

That might have been possible, when I didn't have a job, didn't have responsibilities, and honestly when I had more energy.  So I thought it through and said to myself, "Rose, what if you took your practice time week by week and simply tried to devote a focused amount of time each day, to half the assigned pieces of your lesson, or learning a piece of popular music of the day."

A focused hour sounds possible, whereas 10000 hours can seem like the impossible.    And what about the crazy weekday, when the best you can give is 20 minutes.  Well 20 minutes is better than nothing.  Sort of like working out, 20 minutes walking around the block, beats 3 hours in your favorite chair watching teevee.

So I have renamed my blog  FocusedHour88keys.