Thursday, October 07, 2010

Running Down The Dream

I did something a little crazy yesterday. I rented a violin. My husband and I made both of our girls choose a musical instrument to play and take lessons on this year and they both settled on the violin. I was secretly thrilled because I have always loved it. I have told the story over and over - without even trying to hide my bitterness - that when I was in 3rd Grade, some kids came to my class and played violin for us. I loved it even then. 

I told my dad that I wanted to play and he told me I was too old. Too old. 3rd Grade. I wonder what he would say now that I'm in my (ahem) 20's. (Okay, 30's.) (Alright, alright. I'm in my 40's and a far cry from 3rd Grade.)

I've always had the opinion that you are who you are and you can't think of age as an obstacle. Of course I never thought of my height - at 5'2" - as an obstacle either, but my track coach in high school still wouldn't let me do the high jump for being too short. Water under the bridge, I guess. But if you put off your goals or desires because you're too old, just think how you'd be in four-years without having tried it. You'd just be four-years older without accomplishing anything. 

So, I got my violin and I'm going to set up lessons and I feel so much more excited about it than I'm sure my kids are. But yay me! 

2 comments:

hokgardner said...

Very cool. Good for you!

Anonymous said...

Bring your violin (in its case, of course) to work and start using James Cagney-speak (you know start referring to the dollar as "clams" and your co-workers as "dirty rats.") This will throw off and intimidate your nemesis co-worker into assuming you have a Thompson Sub-machine gun inside your violin case and he will be sufficiently cowered. Maybe I'm watching too much Boardwalk Empire for my own good.