Today I decided to stop trying to force a smile or a laugh. Instead I let the tears flow until there were no more. Danielle returned a week ago to Scotland for her junior year. Classes won’t start until next week, but she needed to get back to the life she created there and to all of her friends who make that life happy and whole. Nicole, gone three weeks, has already spread her quiet, but fierce, spirit to all corners of her university.
The biggest reminder that they are gone resides in the piano, the ebony timelessness of which graces our living room, right in the middle of our house. We bought the piano last year, a fruition of a dream to hear the children play on an instrument capable of creating such rich resonance.
Each daughter loves the piano in a way that is as different as one is from the other. Danielle will sit at the piano and play a variety of tunes, some from printed music, others by ear. Her style is casual and light. Late at night I might catch her tapping the keys quietly and singing along. Nicole plays with an intensity that matches her personality. We hear one or two pieces at a time, never more. Most are classical. She will play one measure over and over again until it is perfect. Slowly the melody builds until one day it echoes through the house, a song given wings.
Once I dried my tears I decided that enough was enough. I miss the girls terribly, but it was time to go forward. The first thing I did was sit at the piano, readying the music for today’s lessons. After all, our sons play, too.
Hey just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The words in your post seem to be running off
the screen in Firefox. I’m not sure if this is a
format issue or something to do with web browser compatibility but I thought I’d post to let you know.
The design and style look great though! Hope you get the issue resolved soon. Many thanks