I had a friend who was a talented piano player. Not concert level, but he could play the piano well. He sometimes played for church. He would become annoyed when someone said, “I wish I could play the piano like you do.”
“Do you? Do you know what I sacrificed to be this good at the piano? Do you know how many times when my friend were out playing baseball I was stuck inside practicing scales? Do you want that? Do you want to make so sacrifices? If not then you don’t really want to play the piano as well as I do.”
In my opinion, no matter how much I might think I want to be able to play the piano, or the guitar, or be a talented painter. If I’m honest about it, I don’t want those talents enough to make the sacrifices necessary to accomplish them.
I wish I were better at knowing how to communicate with people. I’ve always been a pretty good speaker. And I can write reasonably well. But, if I were forced to write 250 words and those 250 represented the difference between life and death, I don’t know that I could be compelling and convincing.
I wish I were a better friend; being one of those people that your friends simply KNOW will be supportive. The kind of friend who shows up in the middle of the night because you need a friend to be there.
I wish I was a better husband. My lovely wife is patient and kind and spiritual and one of the best people I know. I wish I were as good a husband to her as she’s been a wife to me.
I wish I was a better father. My father seemed so much wiser than I feel. I’m older than my dad was when I left home. And yet, I often second guess myself. I worry about giving too much advice. And I also worry about not giving enough advice. When should I step in and “fix it” and when should I step back and let natural consequences kick in? I have no idea. I wish I did.
I want to be a better grandfather, “Papa.” I hope I can impact my grandchildren in a way that they will look back fondly on my memory throughout their lives.
Stay safe
Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren. Order Miscellany II, an anthology including his latest short story, “The Mercy System” here
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