Fan on, faucet running, & cue the waterworks! I sat on the cold bathroom floor, tears flowing, & heart breaking. We have always raised our children with the age old philosophy of, “work hard, play hard”, work hard at school (that’s your “job” as a child), come home, do homework, and chores, and then you can have free time. As a daily philosophy it works great. As a yearly, or worse, lifetime philosophy it is flawed, deeply flawed! Enter COVID-19 and a global pandemic!

Sitting on that hard, cold, bathroom floor, I thought back to Friday, March 13^th, 2020, the last day I picked up my children from school. Tears were welling in my 8^thgrader’s eyes. She had received news that her Washington D.C. trip was canceled, Mud Hens field trip, YMCA graduation pool party, etc. ALL canceled. 9 years at a school, working really hard, and nothing.

My mind then wandered to all those images shared on the nightly news of individuals who have lost their lives due to COVID-19. That’s when the tears turned to sobbing. I couldn’t help but wonder how many had been working hard their entire lives as first respondents, nurses, transit worker, care givers, grocers, etc. waiting to play hard after retirement, a lifetime of hard work, and nothing.

Hope was slowly leaving my body with every sob. And then, beyond the trickle of the faucet, motor of the fan, and between sniffles, I heard something beautiful. I heard music! I wiped my nose, picked myself up from that hard, cold, bathroom floor, washed my hands, and made my way down the stairs. I opened the family room door and there seated at the piano was my son & next to him, standing, flute in hand, my daughter, playing Beethoven together. Upon my arrival they both looked up and my son declared, “We’re playing hard, mom”. And just like that the darkness was lifted, hope renewed, happy tear ran down my cheeks, and joy filled the house.

The one thing God has given us that even when it is work, it is play, music!

Music is play, therapy, it’s an international multi-generational language that all creatures speak, it truly binds us, it gives us hope, strength, and it’s a priceless gift especially during these difficult times. I’m so grateful for the fact that while practically everything in our children’s lives has been stopped or canceled indefinitely, music lives on! Our children look forward to their music lessons every week, it gives the entire family a sense of normalcy when we hear them play.

I’m so appreciative of the fact that Forté Music School offers Online Lessons, and am even more thankful that the lessons can fulfill the kiddos’ music curriculum for school, and they give this schooling from home momma a much needed break!

Forté Music School is offering a GREAT deal……

Sign up today for the best available time, and if you mention MomOnTheGoInHolyToledo you will get $47.50 free! ($25.00 registration fee for FREE, and your first $22.50 lesson free) if you sign up before April 25! $22.50 for 30 minute private lessons held once a week. $90 Month to Month tuition which includes one 30 minute lesson each week, free recitals twice a year, and no hidden fees!

If you’re looking for an established music school with more than 15 years of experience, then check out Forté Music School, Toledo’s largest music school offering lessons to children and adults! Over 600 students take lessons there for Piano, Guitar, Violin, Voice, Drums, Flute, Trumpet…etc. You name it, they teach it!