The Mouth of Babe

For over 30 years I have taught voice and piano lessons to children as young as 3 and adults older than I am.  I learn some of my most valuable lessons from the kids.  Last week 4 year old Erin asked me, “Why are you so LOUD?” 

“My family is loud and music is loud so that’s it,” I told her and tried not to laugh. 

We played the CDE Song and sang Six Little Ducks.  “What is your JOB?” she asked me as I banged away at the keys and threw my tired old arm behind me as we sang, “but the one little duck with the feather in his back…”

“Oh this is my job,” I told her puzzled face.

My two jobs, music teacher and psychic educator are similar.  I try to make people happy.  Music lowers blood pressure and spreads joy.  The murder case I worked on last month was sadder than sad but I might have held a clue to find the girl’s killer, and a reading I did this morning took away the frown on a young woman’s face. 

Back in the dinosaur era I taught speech communications at Harrisburg Area Community College.  Almost everyone hated giving speeches.  Almost everyone wished they could be somewhere else.  The fear was as palpable as severe turbulence when I was a flight attendant.  In those two jobs I learned how to deal with fear, which in turn helps me with crime. 

Last month, thunderstorms knocked out the power in my music studio and my room got dark as night.  Little Jenny cried and we ran for her mom.  Last week she bounced into my music studio with fire and energy.

“Do you want to come to my BIRTHDAY PARTY?  I will be FIVE.  You are so much FUN!”  she squealed. 

We all have insecurities.  I have tons.  But children remind us what we are doing right.