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Every other Tuesday evening, my husband, our three kids, and I pull up to my grandfather’s house…
Our evenings always go the same way. The pack of seven (!) kid cousins ride their bikes around, taking breaks only to run over and grab watermelon slices. The adults gather around my grandfather’s grill, prepping hamburgers and fries. Then we all head inside to eat at the table.
A couple weeks ago, I was sitting at that very dinner table, when my grandfather made a request.
“Oh, Jannellyyyy,” he crooned. “You know what would make my night? If you played a song for us on the piano.” He nodded towards the upright in the corner.
In theory, this was a solid idea. How charming would it be if, in that moment, I plopped myself down on the piano bench and started busting out show tunes?
But despite taking lessons as a kid, I hadn’t played the piano in 22 years. Today, my repertoire consists of only “Chopsticks” and the intro to a Little Mermaid song. “Sorry, Grandpa, but no,” I told him. “Maybe another time!” I then clunkily switched subjects, asking him to share stories of his childhood in Bolivia.
Now here’s the thing.
Since that dinner, I can’t stop thinking about pulling my old keyboard out of the attic.
Learning to play songs — like, “Linus and Lucy” or Coldplay’s “Fix You” — sounds exciting, and practicing piano would be a nice way to step out of my day-to-day routine. I’d love to play a feel-good tune on the piano at our next family gathering, with my grandfather singing along.
Plus, it’s been years since I last learned a skill just for fun. A couple more things I want to learn this fall? How to Dutch braid my older daughter’s hair, and how to make chocolate mousse. It’ll be fun to feel like a student again and try something low-stakes that has nothing to do with work or parenting.
What about you? Is there anything you want to learn? Or are you currently learning something new? Please share below.
P.S. Learning to swim at age 37, and the hardest tongue twister.
(Photo by Cara Dolan/Stocksy.)
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