Hey...Would You Like To Be In A Country Band With Me?

Well, with things changing so rapidly here at home I thought it was high time I invested a little in, yep that’s right, myself. I have played the violin now for about 18 years. I don’t usually tell people how long I’ve been playing because they would then expect me to be an accomplished musician by now. Instead I just tell them that I am a perpetual beginner. Well, I’m tired of playing so feebly. So I posted an ad online entitled “Fiddle Instructor Wanted” and told a little about myself and what I was looking for and awaited eagerly for a response. The first response I got was from some nut saying, “I know you not know how to play fiddle yet but when learn would you like to be in Country Band with me.” I felt like writing back and saying, “Yes, when you learn to speak English and I learn to play the fiddle, then you and I will form a band called, “The Idiots.” No thanks, I swerve when I’m headed for Crazy Town. (Sorry, that’s right, this is a Christian woman’s blog, I being the Christian woman, ask your forgiveness.)


The next and almost immediate response was from what seemed to be an accomplished musician who, again, seemed to know what she was talking about. If she was what she purported to be, she had the ability to take me where I wanted to go. (I failed to say that we recently bought my son a nice resonator banjo and he has been waiting to take lessons as well) As unbelievable as it may sound she was willing to come to the house and teach us both. We set a date for her to give us a preview of what she does with no obligation at all. (This is someone I found off of the internet after all. I had to leave myself a way out, in case she only thought she could play and was awful. It’s more prevalent than one would think. You never know who you’ll meet on-line, right? I made sure that she came on a day that my husband was home in case she was of marginal character.)

Well, the date was set for last Friday and I watched as she pulled in and at first glance I would judge her as a normal person of modest means. I invited her in, she seemed pleasant and cheerful and after a little bit of chit-chat she began to play. As soon as the bow hit the strings I was amazed and thankful that she had found her way to my door. The way she played the fiddle brought tears to my eyes and before she even finished the song I knew that she was the instructor for me. I said, “You’re hired!” Wow! I felt like the Lord had answered my prayers and not only brought me an instructor that comes to the house, but he saw my desire to learn fiddle style and provided a person with the ability to teach me! I had learned to play by way of the Suzuki method, but now it was time to learn fiddle style, you know, Bluegrass or Old Timey. An open door has been set before me…and only by lots of hard work and diligence will I be able to pass through it. (I’ve been stuck in the proverbial mud for so long, I don’t know if I’ll ever get out.)

Well, I’m determined to overcome. I’m going to push through and push through hard. Working to accomplish this goal would give me such joy. We love music; our family, and we also play at church. I’m the one in the background, nevertheless, enjoying myself. Music makes everything better, I say dreamily. Now to produce some that is more like a dream and less like a nightmare…I have to go to work. (Hi-ho! Hi-ho! Hi-ho, hi-ho, it’s off to work I go…)

The moral of the story here is that self- improvement is hard. Let’s face it, whether you want to become a better painter, a better writer, have a beautiful garden; create a better blog, exercise or whatever; it takes time, dedication and hard work. I’m not an old dog but it is hard to learn new tricks. Yet, I’m determined.

Hey, would you like to be in a country band with me?