Fame and fortune…
where does that lead you? To me… nowhere… why do I have to make people pay to enjoy my talent. My name is Thomas. I grew up a simple life. I had a keyboard growing up. The simplest keyboard you could imagine. I didn’t live with fancy things. I didn’t have many friends… or any. I just kept to myself. I grew a passion for playing. I never took a lesson, but just kept on practicing on my own. I bet I don’t play correctly at all, but I can now play. I never excelled at school. I didn’t have the smarts to exceed expectations and barely met them. When I finished high school I went to work at a music store. Piano was my passion. My job was simple. Pay was small. I just make enough to live off on my own with a little extra to save. It took years of saving to buy a nice keyboard. I wanted a piano, but too heavy and too big for the small place I live in. But I’m happy. I’m actually really good at playing. I probably could outperform many professionals, but you may ask why don’t I play and make the big bucks. That’s not who I am… that is not where my happiness lies. You ask “Do I only play to entertain myself then?” I play for the less fortunate… I play for free… I play to let people feel. Let me give you an example.
I woke up thinking to myself that I just want to be somebody for others. I have a skill, but I don’t want the fame and fortune. That is where corruption lies. I’m going to play for people that would never expect such an act to be played for them. I went to the hospital……. I walked inside choose a floor and went there. I went to the nurses’ station and I asked the nurses who here has not had a visitor since they have been here. They told me room 207. I knocked on room 207, but did not get an answer. I went ahead and walked in with keyboard in hand. There was an old man lying in his bed. He carried no expression on his face, but he was awake. Just lying there. Looking up. He looked so lost and sad. “Sir, I’m here because I care. I don’t know your name, but I still care. I’m going to play you a song that will made just for you. I don’t play for money I don’t play for fame. Just here to play for someone I feel they need to know they are still cared for.”
I setup my stand and plugged in my keyboard. I gently pushed key by key. Looking into this sad mans eyes. He managed to slowly lift his head to watch the keyboard as if the notes where floating right to him to hold him. He almost had enough in him to slowly smile, but not yet. I would close my eyes and let my fingers be my eyes and my care for this man to be my notes. I never met him before, but I just feel that he needs someone for something. I looked out the window. Looking outside carried the darkest clouds screaming down rain. It just felt like such a painful storm… so I played even louder. My body becomes an instrument with the keyboard. The man’s eyes became full of tears. I knew it was time to finish this song for him. I laid my fingers on the last six keys and let them carry a tone that was the most delicate tone to be heard… the overtone that was created was heavenly. And it was. I let go of the keys. The man looked to me. “Son”, he said. “I have been in here for two months and no one seems to care that I existed. I lived a great life and I was a wonderful man. Until…. I lost my wife after sixty years. She was my everything and all I wanted was to be with her. My health started to decline and brought me here. I just needed a sign to let me go.”
What I felt I will never be able to explain. I really think this man was stuck on this earth for one last thing to happen to show him that greatest still exists in this world.
The man said, “You have allowed me to let go and be with my wife. I have only been on borrowed time, but just seemed like I couldn’t leave. What you have done for me is amazing. I never asked for something like this to happen. It felt like my wife was right beside me the whole time you were playing telling me it’s time to come home. And I’m not going to pass her up on that. Thank you.”
The man closed his eyes and off he went with a grin that would last a mile. I sat there as the nurses and doctors came in. They knew that it was time for him to go. They covered him up and I packed my things and walked out. I just did not know just what to feel. Did I help this man die… or did I give him life again. I just kept quiet knowing an answer will come one way or another. I got to the main doors and it was pouring out. I didn’t want to hang around any longer, but I didn’t want my keyboard to get wet also… but I just held it tight and started to walk out in the pouring rain… Suddenly to my amazement the rain stopped… just enough to get to my car… maybe my answer just came.
(What kind of influence do you want to have on someone’s life?)
I woke up thinking to myself that I just want to be somebody for others. I have a skill, but I don’t want the fame and fortune. That is where corruption lies. I’m going to play for people that would never expect such an act to be played for them. I went to the hospital……. I walked inside choose a floor and went there. I went to the nurses’ station and I asked the nurses who here has not had a visitor since they have been here. They told me room 207. I knocked on room 207, but did not get an answer. I went ahead and walked in with keyboard in hand. There was an old man lying in his bed. He carried no expression on his face, but he was awake. Just lying there. Looking up. He looked so lost and sad. “Sir, I’m here because I care. I don’t know your name, but I still care. I’m going to play you a song that will made just for you. I don’t play for money I don’t play for fame. Just here to play for someone I feel they need to know they are still cared for.”
I setup my stand and plugged in my keyboard. I gently pushed key by key. Looking into this sad mans eyes. He managed to slowly lift his head to watch the keyboard as if the notes where floating right to him to hold him. He almost had enough in him to slowly smile, but not yet. I would close my eyes and let my fingers be my eyes and my care for this man to be my notes. I never met him before, but I just feel that he needs someone for something. I looked out the window. Looking outside carried the darkest clouds screaming down rain. It just felt like such a painful storm… so I played even louder. My body becomes an instrument with the keyboard. The man’s eyes became full of tears. I knew it was time to finish this song for him. I laid my fingers on the last six keys and let them carry a tone that was the most delicate tone to be heard… the overtone that was created was heavenly. And it was. I let go of the keys. The man looked to me. “Son”, he said. “I have been in here for two months and no one seems to care that I existed. I lived a great life and I was a wonderful man. Until…. I lost my wife after sixty years. She was my everything and all I wanted was to be with her. My health started to decline and brought me here. I just needed a sign to let me go.”
What I felt I will never be able to explain. I really think this man was stuck on this earth for one last thing to happen to show him that greatest still exists in this world.
The man said, “You have allowed me to let go and be with my wife. I have only been on borrowed time, but just seemed like I couldn’t leave. What you have done for me is amazing. I never asked for something like this to happen. It felt like my wife was right beside me the whole time you were playing telling me it’s time to come home. And I’m not going to pass her up on that. Thank you.”
The man closed his eyes and off he went with a grin that would last a mile. I sat there as the nurses and doctors came in. They knew that it was time for him to go. They covered him up and I packed my things and walked out. I just did not know just what to feel. Did I help this man die… or did I give him life again. I just kept quiet knowing an answer will come one way or another. I got to the main doors and it was pouring out. I didn’t want to hang around any longer, but I didn’t want my keyboard to get wet also… but I just held it tight and started to walk out in the pouring rain… Suddenly to my amazement the rain stopped… just enough to get to my car… maybe my answer just came.
(What kind of influence do you want to have on someone’s life?)
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