A Chance Encounter

So I was sitting in Primary Sharing Time this afternoon, keeping my little six-year-olds at least quiet and paying scant attention when a neighbor tapped my shoulder and asked me to come out. He reassured me there was nothing wrong, but he knew I would feel terrible if I were in the same building as a Stradivarius violin and missed my chance to see and hear one. He told me that for the musical number in their Sacrament meeting coming up was going to be the grandfather of two of my piano students playing a Strad and being accompanied by his granddaughter who was a former student of mine. I walked into the chapel and just caught my breath as I listened to him warming up on the piece he would play. It literally brought tears to my eyes as I listened. I never thought I would get to hear or see one played in person. I talked my students' mother and she explained their family was speaking in the meeting that day and her father would be playing right after she spoke.

I was sad for a few minutes because he would be playing while I was supposed to be teaching my lesson, but I decided that taking time out to listen to a musical number would be a good break for my class any way. I watched my clock carefully and I slipped into the back of the cultural hall with my five students just in time. He played "A Child's Prayer" -- a gorgeous arrangement. I couldn't believe how gorgeous it sounded.

After our class time ended I was walking down the hall with my own children and the Sacrament Meeting had just ended. I decided O. and Pengbo needed a chance to see this violin up close, so I went into the chapel to visit with my friend and see if her father would show us the violin. He not only showed it to us, he let me hold it in his hands. This particular violin is a Firebird and it was made in 1718. It was exquisite. Later O. told me he thought I was going to cry. Well, I was. I never thought I would feel so strongly about being close to a famous musical instrument, but I was so overcome. There are a few things made by human beings in this world that are worth getting emotional over. A Stradivarius violin is one of them.