Never Too Early

My mom is pretty amazing on the piano. She taught herself to play when she was four years old, and although she took more than a decade of lessons and studied in college as well, she is most amazing in her ability to play by ear. She can play anything. Name it. She can play it.

(This came in handy in her years in ministry alongside my dad. It's great for a youth pastor to be married to a wife who never met a song she couldn't play.)

My parents invested hundreds of dollars in my own piano career, but to no avail. After eight years of lessons, I have only four years of ability... if that. On this side of childhood, I wish I had embraced the opportunity. But back in the day, well, I had better things to do than practice at that piano bench.

Plus, a pianist must keep her fingernails short. And you know what I always say: Vanity over talent. Every time.

Well, as this next generation has joined the family, my mom is planting early seeds in our budding musicians. Tucker and Tyler are always allowed to play the piano, as long as they obey the only rule: no banging. Otherwise, tickle those ivories, gentlemen. They love it.

And as Grandmas will do, she often sits with them and plays there favorite songs. Just recently, they have begun to sing along. Let me just tell you, there are few things more precious in this world than my children singing with my mom at her piano.

(Bring on the music scholarships.)