Lately I have been playing the piano a lot. I was just looking back at the blog and it has been about two years since I gave away my extra piano.
The one I have now is the one my mom bought when I started taking lessons in high school. I had always wanted to learn to play the piano and one year on my birthday we went shopping in Paducah, as we often did, and while we were gone they delivered the piano. I got lessons for my birthday and Christmas. It was a wonderful gift.
I went to college as a music major, quickly learning I did not have the necessary talent or dedication for that. But I have always enjoyed playing and singing.
When I moved to Kansas I bought the old piano at a church sale and had it for many years. When my mom died, I moved this piano back to Kansas and it now has a very nice home in my downstairs sunporch. I go in there and play almost every night.
I can't say I've improved much since college - in fact, I've gotten worse due to lack of practice. Yes, your mother was right - and so was your piano teacher - practice is essential. I always wanted to play so much that it was never a burden to me to practice. It just happened naturally.
But I haven't played much in years. The piano needs a tune badly, but considering it was moved here from Kentucky and then moved around in my house a few times, it's not bad. But it's bad enough there are certain notes I try to avoid. If I hit them they sound like I'm doing something very wrong, and it's hard to distinguish between that and when I am hitting the wrong keys.
I've been really enjoying having the opportunity to play regularly. I am sometimes shocked by how luxurious it is to have such things readily available.
