Practice Makes Perfect
in Giggles on February 20, 2015
A few years ago, my oldest son decided he wanted to be the next great saxophone player. Actually, what he really wanted was the end of the year reward trip that all of the band kids got to take to the awesome water park–but to get there…he needed an instrument. So…with the incentive of a $25 admission ticket, our entire household was subjected to a beginning band student’s attempts at notes that tripped and fell out of what could have been mistaken for a member of the brass family of instruments. And that $25 water park ticket magically morphed into $2000 worth of rental fees, cases and extra reeds. Score.
So, Ethan began to practice. My windows began to crack…one by one. My dogs began to protest. My head began to ache. The neighbors began to call with polite inquiries as to what types of entertainment (or torture) we had resorted to, in vain, to control and subdue our children with… His brother and sister began to rebel against the new standard of “culture” that had taken up residency in our home. Jeff worked late that week.
Then there was peace.
Why? The new had worn off…and…learning to play the saxophone is HARD work. There are finger exercises and stretches that need to be done EVERYDAY. Scales need to be practices EVERYDAY. Plus, learning a new instrument is lonely when your mother makes you practice in her closet with the doors shut, alone, with her bedroom door shut, and the living room TV up so loud that not even the family dog can hear the pitiful screeching and crying of the painful laments of the sax begging for relief. Ethan wanted to quit. We said no. He cried. We handed him tissues. He got angry. We advised him not to break anything valuable. He realized we would win.
Then there was peace.
He began to only practice on the weekends or when he knew “sectionals” were due. He did NOT re-up for band the following year. I told you that story to tell you this one: if he had practiced more, the sax would have most likely been more welcome in our home. Practice makes perfect. I should PRACTICE what I preach. I have no doubt that my writing would be immeasurably better than it is now; however, I have not been practicing. I have really good intentions. But, you know what they say…the road to Hell is paved with good intentions! I am finishing up the last ELEVEN weeks of my college career. So, technically I have been writing–just not the really fun kind of writing. Term papers don’t really count as fun writing!! Come June 1st, I will be able to fully dedicate myself to writing the way that I want to write. I cannot wait! Practice makes perfect. In the meantime, I will try and post a few things here and there for the two people who stumble across this blog.
Here’s hoping your practice makes today perfect for you!
Dallas