Music Notes—Why Are We Here?

Marsha Medley

I have a funny, smart six-year old piano student who plays well, once he learns a piece. But,

EVERY TIME, we open the page to a new piece of music, he says ‘I don’t know this.” EVERY TIME! And EVERY TIME, I say “Why are we here at your lesson?” He then says “to learn????” Inwardly, I think, “could we skip this and get to the learning part?”

Contrast this student with an inspirational man in my first choir 30 years ago. Dr. Weber (PHD bacteriology) was a small, quiet, retired, 75-year old. He had never sung in a choir, but decided to give it a try. It was a struggle for him and for the choir, but after awhile he got the hang of it. At the same time he had started taking German at the community college, and was doing independent research on bacteria (for which he later received an Einstein award.) As I got to know him, I thought to myself “I want to be like him when I am 75!” He was a life-long learner before it was a trendy phrase.

So the question is, when you open your hymn book to the “new” hymn (which, by the way, may be 50 to 100 years old), or hear a new way of interpreting scripture, do you want to be like the six-year old and say “I don’t know this” or do you want to be like Dr. Weber and give it your best try, even if it is a struggle? Why ARE we here at church? To learn????

I wish I could tell Dr. Weber how much he impressed and influenced me, in his quiet way of continually learning and embracing life. But he long ago passed on, and all I can do is pass on to you his story. Maybe it will inspire and influence you. To learn.

Trying to serve God the best I can. Marsha Medley