The Occasional Flutist

 
I played the flute in church today. It was a song that I love, my favorite Christmas hymn..."O Holy Night". I played with a pianist and two lovely vocalists. This probably doesn't sound especially impressive. But it was the first time in 15 years that I have played the flute in public! And I don't even own a flute. Here is my story...


I was a band geek for 6 years in junior high and high school. I played the flute for symphonic band and the piccolo for marching band. I never took private lessons, but I was usually first or second chair. My first year of college, I headed off to Idaho. I wasn't taking any music classes, but wanted to take my flute with me. (You never know when you might get the urge to play...) So my flute got packed in one of several large boxes that we shipped out to Idaho. We forgot which box the flute was in, and it did not get insured. When that particular box arrived at my new apartment, it was barely held together with tape and stamped "Re-packaged in Colorado". My flute was gone and I now had a ski mask that I had never seen before. A tad suspicious, don't you think? That was 21 years ago(!!!) and I have not owned a flute since then. But I have borrowed a flute every few years or so, just to make sure I can still play.

This is the part that impresses me. I can pick up this instrument after years of not even thinking about it, and still play scales and read music. The power of the mind to find information learned so long ago - and put it into use - is pretty amazing. I don't forget it, just like riding a bicycle. My performance today wasn't perfect, but I am grateful that I was able to make music again. :0)