(Actually I haven't touched this stencil in a month. But I *am* almost done cutting it out. After experimenting, I've decided I'm an x-acto knife devotee. Just have to pace myself to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome! Once it's all cut out, I'm hoping to stencil a skirt to have as a little handsewing project this winter.)
Right now I'm very busy homeschooling, keeping house, reading as many books as possible, and indulging in a new interest: learning to play the violin. The backstory is a little crazy: twenty years ago I decided that if I hit mid-life and felt a crisis coming on, I'd do one of three things: 1) go to medical school [this is NOT going to happen]; 2) buy a ridiculous sports car [again, NOT going to happen] or 3) learn to play violin.
Well. I never told anyone this, but it was the list my little 20-year-old brain invented...back when I thought medical school and sports cars were worthy of my time and attention!
A couple of weeks before I turned 40, our pastor's wife asked me out of the blue if I'd like to have her violin to borrow for a while. Hmm.
So I got the violin. And I just happen to have a friend who is a Suzuki violin teacher. And she just happens to be free on Tuesday nights at the church 5 minutes from our house. Things fell into place....
so a week after turning 40 I had my first lesson.
How long will this last? I don't know, but I do know that so far the hour I spend practicing each day somehow pays me back in dividends later: I'm more relaxed, and more productive, after fiddling around with the violin. It's good therapy, and it's making me happy during this season of life. Learning a new skill is fun (so far) and best of all, Finn and I sometimes plunk out a duet while he sits at the piano and listens to which notes I'm playing. He's on his fourth year of piano, and I think this year he'll eclipse my own skills on that instrument.
Mid-life is feeling great!
I can very much relate to this post! Although I am a violin teacher, last month I started piano lessons. It feels so good to learn something new and know I am improving myself!
ReplyDeleteI hope you continue to enjoy the violin. I play in a community orchestra with many people who took up their instruments as adults, or who took several decades off at some point. I have so much respect for people who are willing to try something new at an age when most of us are set in our ways!
I hope you enjoy piano! I love to play piano, though I do it poorly...but with great enthusiasm!! :)
DeleteThanks for the violin encouragement. I've played piano and guitar off and on most of my life, but this is my first time with an instrument so small and compact. I'm kind of loving that!
OH! I'm dying to learn the violin!! I can't stop thinking about it. Hopefully soon I'll actually DO something about it. I've wanted to play it since I was little.
ReplyDeletep.s. Please tell me we're not middle aged. I was thinking that's more like 48??!!
We're not middle-aged! Middle aged is always about 5 years above us at this point. We're safe!!
DeleteReally, it's just preventative action before I GET to middle age. That's what's happening......:)
PS Yes, you should take up violin! It's the fastest hour of my day right now. Then again, it hasn't gotten hard yet. (My husband says it's the longest hour of my listeners' day. Ha!)
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