Today will be my 9th lesson with Kathy Cooper of Kathy Cooper Studios. So far so good!
As with all lessons, of any kind, there are those disheartening moments where you wonder "what's it all good for, anyway?", a quiet act of desperation built from years of self-doubt and self-deprecating behavior.
Then I go have a lesson and Kathy asks how it's going, I tell her this, and the next thing I know I'm talking about all the music I love, showing off the things I've learned and how good I'm getting at things I just started learning 9 weeks ago...then I'm BACK! I know why, once again, why I'm doing this thing. It's not to impress a girl, although I'm always wanting to impress my girl (girls if you count my step-daughters!), it's not to be a rock star (although if I could get into a band of like-minded folks again, that would be great!), it's not to win awards, or get attention or any of those other things. It's because it makes me happy and I enjoy it!
See, I believe the fountain of youth is never giving up on your dreams and to NEVER stop learning, all your life, new things that press your mind into a challenge of service. I started playing music when I was 12 after realizing nothing made me so happy as a great song. Nothing could alter my mood or encourage my spirit like music.
Then life happened... well, girls happened! I was practicing and playing okay, then I started dating...well first, ogling would be more accurate. Those hormones really disrupted my attention span for practice, unfortunately! Some of my musical heroes, their thwarted attempts to wooing the opposite (or same for some) sex is exactly what made them hole themselves up in their rooms as teens and play play play! They became my heroes...I just became 39 and still trying to learn to play and express myself on my instruments still :(
Not that I'm in a bad spot. In that time, I was NOT thwarted by lovers, in fact, I've had the good fortune to have had some amazing, loving, enlightening and the occasional devastating relationships. I've had a career for almost 20 years. I've enjoyed the company of good friends, enjoyed some good travel, etc. And my life is far from over, "god willing and if the creek don't rise", as they say.
So, today, I'll have my 9th lesson with Kathy and, although practice is hard to get to with all the responsibilities I have at work and at home, and it's extremely slow going, I feel that I am improving quite well. My ability to read sheet music is getting faster, my understanding of music is growing quick, too. The fact that everything I'm learning also translates to any other instrument I play is wonderful!
The message here today is "don't give up" and if you want to learn to play, find a great teacher and stick with it. AND take it from someone who really knows (in my life and in music), truly, good things come to those that wait!
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