Kind Words

“Well that was good, but you need to work on this part a little more. Make sure to play this part that says forte, just a little louder and with more emotion. And go slowly in this area and play a little softer where it says pianissimo. But you did really good! Let’s do it one more time next week and it will be just perfect! I know it will!”

Every week, once a week, from the time I was eight years old, I couldn’t wait to get to my favorite place in the whole world. A place where I felt safe and loved. A place where I could learn. A place where every week, no matter how unrehearsed I was or how many mistakes I made, I heard nothing but kind words. Every week, I was sitting on a piano bench next to one of my favorite people in the world. She would always greet me at the door with a smile.

As a matter of fact, I think she was always smiling.

Even when it was obvious that I hadn’t touched the piano in between lessons sometimes, she would smile and say, “Let’s just keep working on that one for next week.” She would never let a student skip over a piece until they played it to her liking.

“Let’s work on this just a little more and then we will move along. If you get this one just right, I’ll let you work on that pop piece you bought.” She knew how to get her job accomplished.

I can remember the beautiful piano sounds that came from her windows as I drove up the hill, around the circular driveway, to her house. I dreamed of playing just like her. When she asked me to teach some of her students since she had so many, I felt like I had made her happy. That made me smile too.

Her music stopped thirty-eight years ago this month, yet I can still hear it. She lived only a short forty-six years, but she made an amazing impact on so many lives.

I’m lucky to be one of those.

Not only did I learn piano from her, I learned kindness and compassion. I learned to teach others what I had learned from her. I learned to treat others as I want people to treat me and my loved ones.

I heard kind words.

I think in today’s world, we sometimes need to be reminded of that. Say something kind to someone every day.

Say kind words.

From the mind of me.