Just call me "Keys"

Ok, it's time to come clean here. What I haven't shared with you is today was my second time to play the piano in our praise band. Our regular accompanist is on vacation and I filled in.

Now why this may not seem like much of an accomplishment, especially to those Siestas that play or accompany others, it is for me. You see I "cut off" that part of my life many years ago. And in fact, have not played the piano for years.

I'm not sure how the decline in my playing started. After all it was such a central part of who I was from grade school through college. I even accompanied our choir during high school. I entered college as a piano/voice major sure that was what I was supposed to do in my life.

In college I soon learned that my talent was limited, or so I thought at the time. I continued to take music classes and was active in band all four years, but I changed my major to speech communication. I soon found myself engulfed in speech activities, including an active role on our individual events speech team.

And it seems the slippery slope of the decline in my piano playing began. I got married, graduated from college, moved to St. Louis, started graduate school and on and on. Soon three children graced our home. Between a full-time job and a family, little time was left for anything else.

About ten years ago I reclaimed part of my musical self and became a vocalist on the praise team at the church I attended. And I loved it! Still, I shied away from "playing" the piano. I'm not sure if it was fear or lack of desire that fueled my hiatus, but I hung tightly to the fact I could no longer play.

Thus today was a milestone for me, at least as far as playing the piano publically. Don't get me wrong. I'm not going to win any awards with my playing, but that's not really what matters. I've learned to simply surrender and play for that "audience of One." What a wonderful experience to worship the King of Kings through music.

So although Teri at Facedown may be fond of her nickname "Prof" for me, I now have embraced a new name, one I haven't had in a while, but that I'm learning to love once again. So, if I don't immediately answer to "Prof" just call me "Keys." Hum. . . . yup, that feels right for the first time in a long time.

With a new song in my heart,
~Cheryl