A gift that lasts

We live in Bridgeport. It was the middle of summer and my daughter had, up to that point spent summer evenings playing online games with her friend. They stayed up late. During the day time she just wanted to sleep. She looked forward to her next gaming session with friends.

When I told her next week you will have Piano summer camp, she didn’t want to go. Nina said “Oh It’s going to be boring!! I just want my ipad!”

Nina came home from the first day of KEYS Piano Summer Camp saying she was impressed by how nice and respectful everyone was to each other. The kids were happy to be there and they were helpful to one and another, everyone listened and shared music skills., no one yelled, and it was fun and relaxing!

She was particularly impressed by how happy the piano teacher seemed at his work. Is like he really enjoyed being there. He wasn’t stressed. He didn’t seem to be forced to babysit at anyone, or enforce anyone to behave,like in regular school. Nina told me, “I wish regular school was like this”.

The second day of Piano Camp she came home saying she felt she had found her place. It vibes with her she felt at home! It was beautiful when she said that. My kid is a gentle, perceptive child. Our world is just too loud, too fast, too much.

I realized there are children out there like my daughter.

We live in Bridgeport. The fast pace, the noise the non stop sensory overload drowns everything and doesn’t allow for these kids to find a quiet space peace where to explore experiences they don’t imagine they could connect with. It is just because they don’t know.

They can’t know what something like Piano class, violin, cello class feels like, or other art and beauty, because they don’t know it exists. Like my daughter, who just wanted her iPad and thought all there is outside is noisy motorcycles, she discovered something about herself (in her own words): “vibing” in this place. If only this had the opportunity to be presented to them.

When Piano summer camp came to a close, Nina was sad it ended. She wanted to continue experiencing music and this wonderful group of people. We said goodbye to her Piano teacher Mr. Ernest. As we walked out, Nina said: