by Jay Tripp, Schoppert’s Piano Gallery
family
A Gift of a Lifetime
39
I will never forget December 24th, 1984. I was nine-years-old and there was a knock at the door. Upon opening it, I heard two men say “Merry Christmas!”The next thing you know they are wheeling a beautiful console piano into a spot that looked as if our home was built for it. It was a gift from my parents and grandparents to encourage my interest in music. I now had my first piano. Actually the ONLY real piano I’ve owned up until my 40th birthday, when my dream of owning a grand piano became a reality.
Why do I share this? Because that “bigger” gift was with me for the last 34 years of my life. That gift was used nearly every day to improve my talent, but also helped me express my feelings through music. It was a gift that was never shoved into a closet when I became bored with it. It was never a gift that would be “thrown out” because I stopped playing with it. It was a gift that has molded me into who I am today. Consider this before your holiday shopping begins. Before you go out and find the newest gadget, toy, or “gotta have it” gift, think about investing in a gift this holiday season that can have a long-lasting impact on your life, your spouse’s life, or the life of your children. A “legacy” your kids can someday pass onto their children. You never know, 30-35 years from now they may be writing about it. Have a Merry Christmas!!! n
November 2018 | thehoodmagazine.com