One of the joys of summer vacation is more time with
books—novels, nonfiction, inspirational and, of course, children’s books. I was
so pleased when, during my last trip to the library, I happened to pick up
Peter H. Reynolds’ Playing from the
Heart. It’s a treasure, not just for children but for people of all
ages.
When little Raj plucked and pushed the keys of his family’s
piano, he was delighted by the sounds. By the time he was old enough to reach
the sustain pedal (and had a few years of practice), his father was equally
delighted. The notes flowed. Amazed at his son’s talent, his father hired a
piano teacher to nurture it. When the teacher showed him how notes hung on
lines, stretching across a page, they “reminded him of zoo animals peering
through bars . . . wanting to escape.”
Raj became a skilled pianist and in the process, he lost the
joy of creating. The more skilled he became, the more tired he grew until he
quit playing altogether. However, the story doesn’t end on a hopeless note. In
fact, by the end of the story, “the notes emerged whispery and sweet.”
I hope whatever you’re doing this summer, you’ll be inspired
to play from the heart, or perhaps, just play, and give a fresh spark to all of
your creative endeavors.
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| Bench time on the bluffs |
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| A walk to the waterfall |
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| Sharing a moment with a seal |
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