Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on
the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert.
After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the
audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.
Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders
of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually
explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE".
When the houselights dimmed and the concert was about
to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered
that the child was missing.
Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights
focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror,
the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard,
innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".
At that moment, the great piano master made his
entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered
in he boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing". Then leaning
over, Paderewski reached down with his lefthand and began
filling in a bass part.? Soon his right arm reached
around to the other side of the child and he added a
running obbligato.
Together, the old master and the young novice
transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully
creative experience. And the audience was mesmerized.
Whatever our situation in life and history--
however outrageous, however desperate, whatever dry
spell of the spirit, whatever dark night of the soul--
God is whispering deep within our beings,Don't quit. Keep
playing. You are not alone, Together we will transform
the broken patterns into a masterwork of my creative
art. Together, we will mesmerize the world with our song
of peace.
Don't be afraid of pressure. Remember that pressure
is what turns a lump of coal into a diamond.
