A Little Encouragement Goes a Long Way

My daughter Kathryn is a piano player.  She started playing when she was about 5 and took lessons every week until about a 1 ½ years ago.  Her piano teacher, whom she loved dearly, passed away, after a very short bout of cancer.  Needless to say, she was heartbroken.  After several months of not playing at all, I finally convinced her to take a lesson from a new teacher, but when it was over, she got in the car sobbing, saying every time she looked over and saw him sitting beside her, she thought of Miss Diana and it was just too painful. My piano sat untouched, and there was nothing I could do to ease her pain.  A few weeks ago, a lady from our church asked if Kathryn would play in the praise band the Sunday before Christmas.  This lady had no idea Kathryn wasn't playing any more.  When I asked if she would play, she was quick to say, “NO!” Later that evening she came to me crying, saying that she really didn't want to say no, but she just “didn't know how to play without Miss Diana teaching her the song.”  I could clearly see the struggle happening within her, because I knew she had the ability but she didn't believe in herself.  We talked a lot about that, and I told her she really had a choice to make.  She could let her talent die with Miss Diana, or she could search herself and pull out that talent I knew was in there.  I put her to bed and then shed a few tears because my daughter was hurting and I couldn't help her.  The next afternoon I was buzzing around my house, when suddenly I heard music coming from the piano.  It was a little rough at first, but then she found her groove.  Then I started hearing some notes that didn't sound quite right.  I peeked to see what she was doing, and she was playing a few notes and then scribbling something on a piece of paper.  This went on for a little while, and she called me to come into the room and listen.  What I saw and heard just blew me away.  She had scribbled down the notes to I’ll Fly Away and was playing the song from her heart.  She said, “I did it mom! I searched way down deep and found what I had been missing.  I love playing the piano, but I had forgotten.” She decided not to play in the praise band this time, and I think it was the right decision for now, but beautiful music fills my home once again, and that is a priceless gift. 

Here is the point to my story.  That lady at church had no idea that Kathryn had gone through such a painful experience.  The fact that she believed in Kathryn enough to ask her to play in the band was enough for Kathryn to find that spark again.  You never know how your actions, regardless how small, will affect someone else.  Is there someone around you who needs encouragement?