Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy
to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the
audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.
Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of
the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door
marked "NO ADMITTANCE."
When the houselights dimmed and the concert was
about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing.
Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage.
In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at
the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At that
moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and
whispered in he boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."
Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his
left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other
side of the child and he added a running obbligato.
Together, the old master and the young novice
transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. And the
audience was mesmerized.
Whatever our situation in life and history--however
outrageous, however desperate, whatever dry spell of the spirit, whatever dark night of
the soul-- God is whispering deep within our beings, "Don't quit. Keep playing.
You are not alone. Together we will transform the broken patterns into a masterwork of my
creative art. Together, we will mesmerize the world with our song of peace."
"Happiness is not a goal to be pursued - it is
the by-product of a
balanced & purposeful life."
Keep playing, everybody.....
God Bless.
Anonymous |
