Develop Character of Resilience – CLICK TO COMMENT

By Ahuva Lefkowitz   I’ve always wanted to play guitar. Throughout 5th, 6th and 7th grade I enviously watched my 5 other siblings pluck at the strings as though they were born to be guitar professionals. In 9th grade my mother finally agreed to give me guitar lessons. In a whirl of excitement and giddiness, I flew through 1,2,3,4 lessons. Then, I decided that I was finally ready to enter into the talent show that would be held at my school in a week. I practiced guitar fiercely, my fingertips turning purple from pressing the strings so hard. Finally I was ready. I stopped onto the brightly lit stage on the Thursday night of the show. I started playing beautifully, one chord following the next. I drowned myself in the stunning medleys, until…I struck G instead of C minor and the entire song flopped. The sniggers and giggles are permanently branded in my brain since that night. My face turned a startlingly bright shade of red and I flew from the auditorium, feeling like a deflated balloon. No embarrassment could ever compare to what I felt that night. I trudged around school, my head held low and my popularity status dropped at an alarmingly fast rate. The shame stayed with me through entire year. And then it happened. I had been offered a guitar playing summer job at the special children’s center. I almost declined because I didn’t want to remember that horrible moment. I decided to take up the offer and took out my old dusting guitar from my attic. Once again I practiced my G’s and C minors and I was accepted. I’ve learnt from this to take every one of my life’s struggles in stride and to always try again no matter what. I hope you do too.