Please read this --a touching story of luv and perseverance
Subject: DO NOT DELETE, RETURN IF YOU CAN'T FORWARD!
This is a true story and it will give you the chills.
This is a beautiful and touching story of love and perseverance. Well
worth the read.
At the prodding of my friends I am writing this story. My name is Mildred
Honor and I am a former elementary school music teacher from Des Moines ,
Iowa . I have always supplemented my income by teaching piano lessons -
something I have done for over 30 years.
During those years I found that children have many levels of musical
ability,and even though I have never had the pleasure of having a prodigy, I
have taught some very talented students. However, I have also had my share
of what I call 'musically challenged' pupils - one such pupil being Robby..
Robby was 11 years old when his mother (a single mom) dropped him off for
his first piano lesson. I prefer that students (especially boys) begin at an
earlier age, which I explained to Robby. But Robby said that it had always
been his mother's dream to hear him play the piano, so I took him as a
student.
Well, Robby began his piano lessons and from the beginning I thought it
was a hopeless endeavour. As much as Robby tried, he lacked the sense of
tone and basic rhythm needed to excel. But he dutifully reviewed his scales
and some elementary piano pieces that I require all mystudents to learn.
Over the months he tried and tried while I listened and cringed and tried to
encourage him. At the end of each weekly lesson he would always say 'My
mom's going to hear me play someday'. But to me, it seemed hopeless, he just
did not have any inborn ability.
I only knew his mother from a distance as she dropped Robby off or waited
in her aged car to pick him up. She always waved and smiled, but never
dropped in.
Then one day Robby stopped coming for his lessons.. I thought about
calling him, but assumed that because of his lack of ability he had decided
to pursue something else. I was also glad that he had stopped coming - he
was a bad avertisement for my teaching!
Several weeks later I mailed a flyer recital to the students' homes.To my
surprise, Robby (who had received a flyer) asked me if he could be in the
recital. I told him that the recital was for current pupils and that because
he had dropped out, he really did not qualify. He told me that his mother
had been sick and unable to take him to his piano lessons, but that he had
been practicing. 'Please Miss Honor, I've just got to play' he insisted. I
don't know what led me to allow him to play in the recital - perhaps it was
his insistence or maybe something inside of me saying that it would be all
right.
The night of the recital came and the high school gymnasium was packed
with parents, relatives and friends. I put Robby last in the program, just
before I was to come up and thank all the students and play a finishing
piece. I thought that any damage he might do would come at the end of the
program and I could always salvage his poor performance through my 'curtain
closer'.
Well, the recital went off without a hitch, the students had been
practicing and it showed. Then Robby came up on the stage. His clothes were
wrinkled and his hair looked as though he had run an egg beater through it.
'Why wasn't he dressed up like the other students?' I thought 'Why didn't
his mother at least make him comb his hair for this special night?' Robby
pulled out the piano bench, and I was surprised when he announced that he
had chosen to play Mozart's Concerto No. 21 in C Major. I was not prepared
for what I heard next. His fingers were light on the keys, they even danced
nimbly on the ivories. He went from pianissimo to fortissimo, from allegro
to virtuoso; his suspended chords that Mozart demands were magnificent!
Never had I heard Mozart played so well by anyone his age.
After six and a half minutes he ended in a grand crescendo, and everyone
was on their feet in wild applause! Overcome and in tears, I ran up on stage
and put my arms around Robby in joy. 'I have never heard you play like that
Robby, how did you do it?' Through the microphone Robby explained: 'Well,
Miss Honor .... remember I told you that my mom was sick? Well, she
actually had cancer and passed away this morning. And well ..... she was
born deaf, so tonight was the first time she had ever heard me play, and I
wanted to make it special.'
There wasn't a dry eye in the house that evening. As the people from
Social Services led Robby from the stage to be placed in to foster care, I
noticed that even their eyes were red and puffy. I thought to myself then
how much richer my life had been for taking Robby as my pupil. No, I have
never had a prodigy, but that night I became a prodigy ...... of Robby. He
was the teacher and I was the pupil, for he had taught me the meaning of
perseverance and love and believing in yourself, and may be even taking a
chance on someone and you didn't know why.
Robby was killed years later in the senseless bombing of the Alfred P
Murray Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April, 1995.
And now, a footnote to the story. If you are thinking about forwarding
this message, you are probably wondering which people on your address list
aren't the 'appropriate' ones to receive this type of message. The person
who sent this to you believes that we can all make a difference! So many
seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice
-Do we act with compassion or do we pass up that opportunity and leave the
world a bit colder in the process?
You now have two choices:1. Delete this; OR 2. Forward it to the people
you care about.You know the choice I made. Thank you for reading this May
God Bless you today, tomorrow and always. If God didn't have a purpose for
us, we wouldn't be here!
God Bless you today, tomorrow and always. If God didn't have a purpose for
us, we wouldn't be here!
IN GOD WE TRUST!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kewal Krishna on -
"Miss Honor .... remember I told you that my mom was sick?
Well, she actually had cancer and passed away this morning.
And well ..... she was born deaf,
so tonight was the first time she had ever heard me play,
and I wanted to make it special.'
"He was the teacher and I was the pupil,
for he had taught me the meaning of
perseverance and love and believing in yourself,
and may be even taking a
chance on someone and you didn't know why.
JAI GURU !!
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Permalink Reply by Arvind Kothari on -
"Do we act with compassion or do we pass up that opportunity and leave the
world a bit colder in the process?"
This real life story impresses our minds to act with compassion and that too always and with everybody!
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Permalink Reply by maria angelica sassone on -
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Permalink Reply by Ranjeev Manrao on -
9-12-10
Dear Brothers & Sisters,
Greetings of the Season.
This is a highly inspiring, motivating & heart touching story. It shall be a great achievement even if one of us can truly learn & imbibe these teachings and qualities into us.
Ranjeev Manrao
RM123 India
Vashi, New Mumbai
"Service to Man is Service to God"
Sai Old Age Home New Delhi India
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