Processing Emotions at the Piano

Some days are just hard. We have too many things to do than we have time to do them. Or we spent all day at jury duty being reminded that people do horrible things to each other. Or we lost someone we love. Or we just haven't had a chance to deal with all of the above. For me, days like this, a lot of times the last thing I want to do is play the piano. But they are the days I need to the most. You see, playing the piano has always been a good way for me to process my emotions. Somehow, the very act of playing and listening to my music taps the deepest parts of me. Sometimes, it's what allows me to finally cry and release the things that I'm holding on to too tightly. Sometimes it's feeling like there is at least something in this world that I can control. Sometimes it's being able to experience beauty again. Sometimes it's connecting with my creator in a special way as I take part in creating something as well. The key for me, though, has been putting aside what I have to work on and playing what I feel. Most of the time, that means pulling out old songs. Things I have not played in a long time or things I have played many times over the years. It's about engaging all of myself but not being too in my head. It's letting myself feel whatever I feel at that time, and it be OK. I don't understand what all happens. I don't know why it helps so much. But somehow, after a while, my soul is soothed. I feel like myself again. Whatever heaviness I brought in somehow feels lighter. And this my friends is in part why I am a musician and why I teach music to others. So they too can have an outlet and way to process the emotions you cannot put words on.