The Creative Life by Julia Cameron

Author:Julia Cameron [Cameron, Julia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc.
Published: 2010-08-03T06:00:00+00:00

I am scheduled to have a piano lesson every Saturday at two p.m. Chaim is infinitely patient with my tortoise-paced progress. I look forward to my lesson and play through the pieces several times. Our repertoire is largely wonderful songs that Chaim has written. He has a beautiful, mournful sense of melody. I love the pieces we play.

Chaim arrives—doffing his leather jacket and his backpack. He has stopped at Starbucks and arrives carrying a Venti coffee, which we will split. We sit at the window, watching the rain. It is still coming down.

“I’m ready,” I say, setting aside my coffee mug. Chaim follows suit, and we settle in at the piano. I have practiced and can play most of our pieces smoothly. We play “Lullaby,” “Autumn Song,” and “Old Castle.” After I play each piece, I ask Chaim to play it through so I can hear what it truly sounds like. He plays them all, however simple, with passion and conviction. His past as a concert pianist shows in his playing.

Midway through the lesson we tackle something Chaim didn’t write. It is a Russian song called “The Beautiful Bride.” Spanning two octaves, it is tricky to play. I ask Chaim to play it once through. Like so many of the pieces we play, it is sad and beautiful. I try to capture the spirit of the piece but find I am still focused on just getting the notes right. I remind myself I am taking lessons to learn. Still, it’s hard not to judge myself in comparison to my brother Christopher, to my friend Bob McDonald, and, despite his kindness, to Chaim.

As if sensing my discontent, Chaim gives a final melancholy ripple to the keys.

“Maybe that’s enough for today,” he says.

I remind him I will have to miss next Saturday’s lesson, as Emma and I will be away in Chicago, hoping to make a plan for our musical, The Medium at Large.

“Good luck to you, then,” Chaim exclaims, his goodwill palpable.

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