Some play by ear, others by note but to make the music beautiful you must have passion and you must practice. Like any art, some have a natural talent while others have to learn the mechanics. As a friend was encouraging me to continue my writing despite several set backs and heart breaks, he told me a story. His mother played piano, she could hear a piece one time and go home and pick it out on the piano. Any time she had a free moment she was at the piano playing and practicing. She played for friends and for her church, the piano was her joy, her passion. As an adult my friend decided to buy a piano and learn to play. Unlike his mother he did not have the gift of music, he could not hear a song and played it. He had to learn the notes. Learning all the notes takes time but he finally managed it, now he can play anything he wants as long as he has the notes. His talent isn’t the same as his mother’s who made it look so easy but hard work and a passionate drive to succeed gave him the joy of music. While each of us have different talents, passions and muse, we can all improve by practice and learning.

My friend doesn’t play his music for friends or at church, his music is for his own pleasure. As a member of several writers groups I have learned that not everyone wishes to publish, they just enjoy writing. As I struggle to get published, I sometimes forget that it is the love of writing, the joy it gives me and the release of passion that is it’s own success. No matter how you express yourself, remember their are different degrees of success, do not measure yourself by others works but by your own truth.