Sharing Love for Music

Elijah had a secret that he kept from his friends at school. While he knew that the other students in his class liked him-they enjoyed playing video games or basketball together-he worried that revealing his secret would change everything. He feared that his friends would no longer spend time with him if they knew he was a musical prodigy. At thirteen, he could play most string instruments, as well as the piano, and he wrote many of his own compositions.

Of course, some of his classmates took music lessons or played in the school orchestra, but he often heard them complain about practicing for fifteen minutes or having to lug their instruments around. Although Elijah kept his talents hidden, he adored music. How could he explain this to his friends who disliked simply carrying their instruments? Elijah not only toted around different instruments, but he also practiced for hours at a time.

Elijah faced a dilemma; he did not want to expose his secret, but his friend needed some help. His friend Hadeel had an upcoming piano recital. She had to play a piece by Chopin, one of Elijah's favorite composers. During lunch Hadeel told the students at their table about what a difficult time she had with this piece of music.
"This Chopin guy wants my fingers to go all over the keys," she sighed. "It's not even the real concerto, only a version for beginners, and I still can't play it!"

Although Hadeel had been complaining, Elijah sensed that Hadeel actually liked playing the piano. He wanted to help her understand the complexities of Chopin's music, but he did not want to come across as a know-it-all.

Despite his fears, Elijah found himself knocking on Hadeel's door after school. She looked surprised to see him, so he quickly explained that he could help her with the Chopin concerto. She invited him in, and they sat down together at the piano. He told Hadeel that Chopin composed as if he were having a conversation with his piano, and, if you listened closely enough, you could hear the back-and-forth rhythm. Once you got the hang of it, you could play the "conversation" as Chopin had intended. Hadeel looked skeptical, so Elijah played a few bars of music, paused, then played a few more. After a while, Hadeel got the hang of the conversation, and she found it easier to play the concerto.

The following week, Hadeel thanked Elijah and told him that her recital had been a success. She asked him why he had never told her that he also enjoyed playing the piano. Elijah smiled, thankful that he now had one friend with whom he could share his love of music.