Kayla

June 6, 2006.  Kayla was 6, in kindergarten, and joining her older sister in taking piano lessons from me.  We were very creative when it came to octaves, since her little hands could only cover about five keys.  But as the days and years passed along, her hands grew.  Her feet reached the floor.   Her abilities expanded.  Her tastes were enhanced by her Vietnamese background.  To day was her last lesson, after finishing up with some beautiful pieces at a recital 2 weeks ago.  She has been with me for 10 years, and is now a junior in high school.  That is an accomplishment.  It pleases me to know she is a better person, with senses that have only been provided her from consistent practicing and sharing.  This makes me happy.

Visiting Teaching Backpack

My Visiting teaching days with Katherine were filled with inspiration as we visited Sharman.   Month after month, Sharman's living room became a sacred spot.  I would listen while Katherine (who had recently lost her aging mother to cancer) and Sharman (who was in the middle of caring for her mother in another state), shared stories, ideas, and encouragement for an hour as we visited each time.  Their stories were similar, but even more alike was the, love and compassion they each shared for their mothers.  In those days, I had healthy and able parents, yet I was prompted to know that the visits would do me good in my future.  So, I collected those thoughts and feelings and put them in my back pack for future reference.

Now many years later, I find myself reaching in to my collection for assurance.  I don't remember the details of their stories, but I do remember the feelings I had when I listened in.  Compassion, love, generosity, patience, faith, on and on.  I'm so thankful for those visits, because today, I am beginning to put these sweet  pieces together.

A miracle of Visiting Teaching is that it can affect us all if we, with empathy, tune in to another's life  And the life that is benefitted most can turn out to be our own