One of my all-time favorite songs to play on the piano is The Homecoming. I’ve mentioned before that I’ve played it at my piano recital, as the background music for the memorial video for my niece, and at my dear friends’ mom’s funeral.
I got to thinking about when I used to teach piano. I started doing that when I lived in Chicago. I always had a recital for my students and when the parents asked me to play once, that was when I pulled out that piece.
After I moved back to Buffalo, I started teaching again. Yep, I made my son Frankie take lessons for a couple of years. He quit after that, but he has a love for music today that is incredible. He will deny piano or any of the choirs I directed had any influence on him, but I know better.
Anyhow, I digress. One of the best memories I have was teaching my only adult student while I was in Chicago, Liz. She became so much more than a student. In fact, she became a teacher to me of more important things than piano. She became a dear friend. Her family became dear friends.
She has a wonderful heart. So wonderful, that she let me move into her home when I was stuck with nowhere to go. I stayed there for several months, never paying a penny for rent. She even let me hold the next recital in her house.
I recently re-connected with her after years of no communication. I found out she has been struggling terribly for over three years since she lost her adoring husband, the love of her life. Then last year, her only son lost his beautiful wife from brain cancer. Such suffering only comes from loving so deeply.
She is hoping to come and visit when this COVID stuff lightens up. (Will it?) I told her how much I still appreciate the selfless kindness she showed me when I was in my twenties. Say some prayers for her as she tries to heal her hurting heart.
December 14, 2020 at 2:57 pm
Hello, I think you will reconnect, and you are both blessed because you have each other! It will be over at some point, I believe this. I lost my dad, my husband and my mom within two years, it is hard to grasp it most days. I love your words, “such suffering only comes from loving so deeply.” Love to you and your friend!
December 14, 2020 at 4:06 pm
Thank you so much for your response. You must be reeling. When grief comes back to back like that, you hardly have time to breathe. You must be a strong, resilient woman. Love back to you!
December 15, 2020 at 12:55 am
I am visiting my husband’s family currently. I am not sure I am processing my own grief for my mom. Maybe I will have to stagger it..
December 15, 2020 at 1:59 am
It will come as it needs to you; I think our job is to accept it when it comes…
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