I taught my last private lessons tonight. I’ve been teaching some of these guys for two years now. I had everyone from my 4th grade neighbor who is studying piano to my 65 year old saxophone student. I’m pretty down about this being the last lesson. There is a special relationship between a teacher and a student. Some lessons ended with a bit of a teary eyed goodbye.
I called Susan after the last one so I would have someone to talk to. That was nice. I decided it was a good night to open the “Young’s Chocolate Stout” I’ve been saving in the fridge along with the chocolate that goes with it. Eventually I had to hang up, and the Stout was gone, so I opened the “Samuel Smith Taddy Porter” that has been waiting next to the Stout in the fridge and opened the smoked almonds I’ve been saving.
Saying Goodbye sucks.
I don’t want to be overly dramatic about the whole thing, but as Solomon wrote, “There is a time for everything.” Tonight is the time for the end of a period in my life – a milestone: the end of one thing anticipating the beginning of another. So tonight I’m marking the end of this part of my life.
I suppose an aching heart is part of being truly alive. A sad parting means there was first a vibrant friendship. How fortunate I have been to have been a meaningful person in people’s lives, to have grown close enough to really know my students, and to be there with them as they grew and discovered the joy of making music and accomplishment, to have been with them to encourage them during failure and struggles and rejoice with them during times of accomplishment and success.
I turned on my “Quiet Music” playlist and decided to get to work on the music for the 4th grade musical next week. Life goes on….
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