Life Is Like A Piano

I was dusting off my piano the other day (ok, the other week before I sold it) and stopped to read the words of a little plaque my mom had given me:

"Life is like a PIANO.  What you get out of it depends on how you play it."

It made me think of a friend's son.  He plays the piano often and is self taught.  When I talk to her on the phone, I love listening to the piano in the background.  It is passionate, beautiful, pure, and played with true joy.  You can just tell...you feel it.  He spends time with the piano.  He practices.  He invests of himself in the endeavor.  And it sure shows.

I had a piano for over 5 years.  It collected dust.  It didn't give me that kind of music.  It gave me half hearted music at best.  Because it was giving back to me what I was willing to put in...which wasn't very much.

Likewise, I had a treadmill that gave me one thing for a long time.....another place to dust! :-)  That's about all it gave me as I wasn't investing of myself in using it.

I'm happy to report that the treadmill is now producing great results - because I am getting on it nearly every day!  And even when I'm not getting the results as quickly as I would like, there's a mental peace inside of me knowing I'm doing what I can do towards the goals, and the results will come.

I need to remember this little concept in all the areas of my life.  If I don't have a bunch of people to hang out with, I can ask...how am I playing it?  Am I investing my time in THEM?  The answer is, well, no I'm not.  Am I getting a lot out of all the amazing fun things there are to do in this area?  Well, not really.  I'm not investing in getting out and checking them out!

I want to be mindful that the results I am getting in life are largely a direct response to what I'm putting into it!  Whether it's exercising, or socializing (or going to church etc.)  what I get out of it is going to depend on how I choose to play it.  Or if I decide to get off my butt and play at all!  :-)

♥♥♥