I was seated alone in that immense room, there were several tables and chairs around me, the night was quite and I was there in one of the corners of that big room. I looked around me just to see walls tables and chairs, then I turned back to see what was behind me in such corner and I saw it, it was there, quiet, resting on that very same corner, I wonder how I did not see it since I entered into that room.
This was just a piano, an upright piano, very well-kept, as soon as I saw it, a long chain of memories came back to my mind. That piano looked like exactly like the one I had in my church ward when I was about to go on my mission. Actually the color and the quality reminds me that piano of those days. I remember I wanted to have a piano like that at home. I remember when I went to my mission I used to play the piano for those church meetings when no other pianist was available.
I remember my time in the CTM (Centro Treinamento Misionario) in Sao Paulo, Brazil. None of the other missionaries in my group knew how to play the piano, except me, well, we were only 30 missionaries in my group all of them had their missions in different countries of South America. I remember those days clearly. The CTM was located at the Sao Paulo Temple Square and from my bedroom window I could see the back of the Temple. It was the first time I was visiting a temple. It was such a marvelous experience.
I remember we turned off the lights at 10:30 pm but the chatting kept going until midnight in the dorm that I shared with three other missionaries. Nobody was tired enough at 10:30 pm to sleep, even at midnight we had to stop the chatting because we knew next morning we had a busy schedule of training and temple ordinances.
After the CTM experience I flew back to Peru to start my mission and I was assigned to the most remote areas that only God knows where they are located. It was a great time full of spiritual experiences that even if I could, I would never be willing to trade it in exchange for another time or experiences.
I still play the piano and music becomes alive when I am at the keyboard, but from time to time, memories will also come alive and in between a serie of uncountable hours in the solitude of my piano practices the development of a talent quietly and steadily teaches me not only about music, but that life must go on and that I have the responsability to look for new opportunities to serve others, in my way to perfect the "music of my life", and every passing day I play a new song of service and devotion to the human race, to the children of God.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I like the focus on the piano in the first half of the piece. On my mission I tried to learn a few hymns, so I can relate to how a piano invites us to magnify our talents and learn more about the world of music. Why does the second half of the monologue shift away from the piano to more general observations and reflections? Try to remember and record a memory of a specific life-changing moment that has become more meaningful to you over time.
I really love the beginning: the way you introduce the image of the piano and how it sparks your memory of bigger things. I wish you had come back to the piano at the end to tie both halves together. Consider focusing on one specific memory that revolves around that piano. Thank you for sharing these memories!
I agree with the piano-focus recommendations. You do a great job with the water motif in your other essay, and I think that you might be able to keep the other reflections if they were directly tied into or clearly referencing your ongoing experience with piano as well.
Post a Comment