Let Billy Joel Do It

Today I discovered, to my shock and awe, that I have absolutely no desire to learn to play the piano, despite the fact that I have been taking lessons for the last month. I finally understand why I quit when I was a kid! It wasn't because my piano teacher hit me on the knuckles with a ruler if I played the wrong note, it was because I didn't give a hoot about playing the piano.

This seems much more to my liking.

So much of our pain is caused by the childish refusal to accept who we are. "If only I were taller, shorter, thinner, fatter, more talented, better looking, richer, younger, then I'd be happy," we think.  "If I'd had more children. If I hadn't had children. If my parents hadn't screwed me up. If I hadn't been an orphan." It's neverending.

The sad truth is that whatever we have and whatever we are, it's never enough when we compare ourselves to others. And in these days of social media connecting each of us to every other person on the globe with a modem, what chance do we have of ever making the grade with our demanding inner demon who wants, wants and wants more? The answer is unplug. Stop comparing. Look inside. Be true to yourself. If you are not going to be you, then who is?

Because I have finally evolved to this point after 68 years, there shall be no more piano lessons for me. I still wish I wanted to play the piano, but I don't. I also have no desire to play the trombone. cello or drums, which is why I am not taking any lessons in those instruments. What I do wish is to be my best self, and playing the piano is simply not in my DNA.