email from Kamalini Kanapathippillai.
What a beautiful story!!
At
the prodding of my friends I am writing this story. My name is
Mildred Honor. I am a former elementary school Music Teacher from Des
Moines, Iowa.
I
have always supplemented my income by Teaching Piano Lessons...
Something I have done for over 30 years. During those years, I found that
children have many levels of musical ability, and even though I have
never had the prodigy, I have taught some very talented students.
However, I have also had my share of what I call 'Musically Challenged’
Pupils.
One
such Pupil being Robby. Robby was 11 years old when his Mother (a Single
Mom) dropped him off for his first Piano Lesson.
I
prefer that Students (especially Boys) begin at an earlier age,
which I explained to Robby. But Robby said that it had always been
his Mother's Dream to hear him play the Piano, so I took him as a
Student.
At
the end of each weekly Lesson he would always say 'My Mom's going to hear
me Play someday.' But to me, it seemed hopeless, he just did
not have any Inborn Ability. I only knew his Mother from a distance
as she dropped Robby off or waited in her aged Car to pick him
up. She always waved and smiled, but never dropped in.
Then
one day Robby stopped coming for his Lessons. I thought about
calling him, but Assumed that because of his lack of Ability he had
decided to pursue something else. I was also glad that he had
stopped coming. He was a Bad Advertisement for my Teaching!
Several
Weeks later I mailed a flyer recital to the Students' homes. To my
surprise, Robby (who had received a flyer) asked if he could be in the
Recital. I told him that the Recital was for current Pupils and that
because he had dropped out, he really did not Qualify.
He
told me that his Mother had been Sick and Unable to take him to his piano
lessons, but that he had been practicing. 'Please Miss Honor, I've
just got to Play,' he insisted. I don't know what led me to allow him to
play in the Recital -- perhaps it was his insistence or maybe something
inside of me saying that it would be all right.
The
night of the Recital came and the high school gymnasium was packed with
Parents, Relatives and Friends. I put Robby last in the Program, just
before I was to come up and thank all the Students and Play a
finishing piece. I thought that any damage he might do would come at the
end of the Program and I could always salvage his poor performance
through my 'Curtain Closer'.
Well,
the Recital went off without a Hitch, the Students had been Practicing
and it Showed. Then Robby came up on the stage. His Clothes were Wrinkled
and his Hair looked as though he had run an egg beater through it.
'Why wasn't he dressed up like the other Students?' I thought. 'Why
didn't his Mother at least make him Comb his Hair for this Special
Night?'
Robby
pulled out the Piano bench, and I was Surprised when he announced that he
had chosen to play Mozart's Concerto No.21 in C Major. I was not
prepared for what I heard next. His fingers were light on the keys,
they even danced nimbly on the Ivories. He went from Pianissimo to
Fortissimo, from Allegro to Virtuoso; his Suspended Chords that Mozart
demands were Magnificent! Never had I heard Mozart played so well
by anyone his age.
After
six and a half minutes, he ended in a Grand Crescendo, and everyone was
on their feet in Wild Applause. Overcome and in Tears, I ran up on stage
and put my arms around Robby in Joy.
'I
have never heard you Play like that Robby, how did you do it?'
Through the Microphone Robby explained: 'Well, Miss Honor, Remember I
told you that my Mom was sick? Well, she actually had Cancer and
Passed Away this Morning. And well... she was Born Deaf, so tonight
was the first time she had ever heard me Play, and I wanted to make
it Special.'
There
wasn't a Dry Eye in the house that evening. As People from Social
Services led Robby from the stage to be placed in to Foster Care, I
noticed that even their Eyes were red and Puffy. I thought to myself
then how much Richer my Life had been for taking Robby as my Pupil.
No, I
have never had a Prodigy, but that night I became a Prodigy... of
Robby. He was the Teacher and I was the Pupil, for he had taught me the
meaning of Perseverance and Love and Believing in Yourself, and may be
even taking a chance on someone and you didn't know why.
Robby
was Killed years later in the Senseless Bombing of the Alfred P. Murray
Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April, 1995.
A
Footnote to the story. If you are thinking about Forwarding this Message,
you are probably wondering which People on your address list aren't the
'appropriate' Ones to receive this type of Message. The Person who sent
this to you believes that we can all make a Difference!!!
So
many seemingly Trivial Interactions between two People present us with a
Choice. Do we Act with Compassion or do we Pass up that Opportunity?
If God didn't have a Purpose for us, we wouldn't be here!
Live Simply
Love Generously
Care Deeply
Speak Kindly
Leave The Rest To God
