For years I’ve had a love hate relationship with the piano. I have tremendous respect for piano players and the instrument. Just the same, it’s confounded me for years. The best I could do is come to a pretty mechanical sounding rendition of my favourite songs. I haven’t played since 2005 having decided that life was pretty much decided for me. I wasn’t going to play the piano professionally (due to skill and stage fright) and I had probably advanced as far as I was going to advance. Four months ago I was thinking to myself that why was it that whatever people were doing by the time they were 40’ish they would likely do for the rest of their lives? “I’m not brain dead, my brain still works, I can still learn new things?” I questioned myself. I realized that my problems with the piano were more involved with suspending judgement while playing, having more fun with it, and letting go of expectations.

Four months ago I resolved to sit at the piano for 1/2 hour every day and just play. It turned out that I managed to play every other day or so, but just the same, I was patient with myself and let myself make mistakes. I could go on and on, but for the sake of brevity… I’ve managed to accomplish a more relaxed playing style and made some progress. Remember, I didn’t start from 0 four months ago and I’m not claiming that I’ve radically transformed into a concert pianist. My only claim is that in four months I’ve made some improvement and now I wonder what a further 4 months might accomplish?

The moral of the story? Just because you’ve been doing x all your life and you’re y years old, your brain still works and it can still learn.

Here is “Every time We Say Goodbye” composed by Cole Porter, arranged and played by Martin C. Winer.