Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Question (05/24/12)
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TITLE: A Discordant Decision | Previous Challenge Entry
By LisaR Rider
05/25/12 -
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I finally decided to take violin lessons. As the school year began, I anticipated bringing home my first violin. At my first lesson, I was given my violin and instructed on how it should be held. Little did I realize the pain that would follow. Holding the violin required strength and coordination that did not come naturally for me. The fact that I was small for my age probably didn’t help.
Yet, I think that my family would agree that the most obvious pain was that which our ears suffered. It sounded terrible! When the piano is played, there is no ambiguity. Assuming that the piano is in tune, you strike the key, and the expected pitch resounds. The violin- at least for me- didn’t quite work like that. It was screechy, and the sound that I anticipated rarely arrived. My perfectionist behavior began long before the fourth grade, and I found myself frustrated every time I picked up the instrument. Thus, I hated to practice. Unbeknownst to me, everyone in our home hated for me to practice.
My parents were not quitters and I learned at a very young age that you don’t just quit when something becomes difficult. So, I did my very best to stick with my violin lessons. I went to lessons each week and faced Mr. Thurkins, who also happened to be the high school football coach. He was a large man and his voice boomed when he spoke. Each week, I would dread sitting in lessons for fear of disappointing my teacher.
After more than a year, I decided that I should be allowed to quit. I stressed for weeks at the thought of asking my parents. I finally decided to run the question by my sister first; maybe she would have some words of wisdom. She said, “Are you kidding? They WANT you to quit!!!”
So, with my new added sense of confidence (which in hindsight was a total putdown), I sat my parents down and asked them if I could quit. They tried to act somewhat disappointed, but I could tell that they were breathing sighs of relief.
The next day, I packed up my violin, headed for school, ready to resign from my violin duties. At the time that lessons were scheduled to start, I boldly told Mr. Thurkins that my parents and I decided that I should quit violin. Surprisingly, he raised his voice. He was not at all happy at our decision. In fact, he told me that I had talent- a good ear- and if I stuck with it, I would become a fine violinist. Well, that was the first I knew of that! And my decision had already been made. I left that day feeling contrary to how I had expected to feel. I had let my teacher down, and it grieved me for some reason.
For years, I have wondered if Mr. Thurkins had been right; could I really have excelled at the violin if I had not quit? Oddly enough, that experience has kept me from making rash decisions on more than one occasion. I never want to face the “what if I had…” question; instead, I sit nearly paralyzed while I wait for clear-cut answers.
However, there are some decisions too big to ignore. We then must seek godly counsel. Proverbs 11:14 tells us that “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” (ESV)
Sometimes God chooses to speak to us through the wisdom that He gives others. And it is our responsibility to seek that wisdom from godly counsel: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly.” (Psalm 1:1, ESV) Godly counsel will not be self-seeking, but will point us to God’s truth.
My violin teacher might have had insight that my parents lacked. In some respects, his words may have demonstrated wisdom, while my parents were motivated by self-preservation! Perhaps the only purpose of my violin experience was to teach me the importance of good decision-making. The funny thing is- as many times as I’ve questioned that decision, I feel certain that no one else in my family ever looked back.
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LOL! I really enjoyed this piece!
Good job and on topic. NIcely done. God bless~