Wishing to encourage her young son's progress
on the piano, a mother took her boy to a
Paderewski concert. After they were seated,
the mother spotted a friend in the audience
and walked down the aisle to greet her.
Seizing the opportunity to explore the
wonders of the concert hall, the little
boy rose and eventually explored his way
through a door marked
"NO ADMITTANCE"

When the houselights dimmed and the concert
was about to begin, the mother returned to her
seat and discovered that the child was missing.
 

Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights
focused on the impressive Steinway on stage.
In horror, the mother saw her little boy
sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out
"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
 

At that moment, the great piano master made
his entrance, quickly moved to the piano,
and wihispered in the boy's ear,
"Don't quit. Keep playing."
 

Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down
with his left hand and began filling in a bass part.
Soon his right arm reached around to the other
side of the child and he added a running obligato.
Together, the old master and the young novice
transformed a frightening situation into
a wonderfully creative experience.
And the audience was mesmerized.
 

Whatever our situation in life and history
however outrageous,
however desperate,
whatever dry spell of the spirit,
whatever dark night of the soul
~
God is whispering deep within our beings

"Don't quit, Keep playing, You are not alone.
Together we will transform the broken patterns
into a masterwork of my creative art.
Together, we will mesmerize the world
with our song of peace."
 
 
 

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