I REMEMBER  A STORY I WAS TOLD A FEW YEARS AGO ABOUT ALITTLE BOY NAMED HARRY WHO HAD DREAMED SINCE THE AGE OF 7 OF BEING A CONCERT PIANIST. HE PRACTICED EVERYDAY AND TOOK LESSONS TWICE A WEEK FROM A RESPECTED INSTRUCTOR. AT AGE 15 HE ACCOMPANIED HIS MENTOR TO THE RECITAL OF A WORLD-RENOWNED PIANIST. AFTER THE CONCERT, HARRY MET THE MASTER AND EVEN PLAYED FOR HIM. ALL AGREED THAT HARRY HAD A REMARKABLE TALENT. HARRY NEW THAT ONE DAY HE WOULD PLAY TO AUDIENCES IN GREAT HALLS ALL OVER THE WORLD. BUT WITHIN A YEAR HIS FUTURE SEEMED UNCERTAIN. THE FAMILY FORTUNE WAS LOST . THERE WAS NO MONEY FOR PIANO LESSONS NOR WAS THERE TIME TO PRACTICE. AT 16, HARRY HAD TO TAKE A JOB TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY, AND HIS BOYHOOD DREAM HAD FADED AWAY. HARRY HAD GAINED SOMETHING IN HIS DEDICATION TO LEARNING THE PIANO THAT ALLOWED HIM TO SUCCEED LATER IN LIFE.  HARRY S. TRUMAN NEVER PLAYED GREAT MUSIC FOR AUDIENCES AROUND THE WORLD, BUT AS THE 33RD PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, HE LED A NATION.

                    THIS SAME IS TRUE WITH OUR KIDS, I CAN REMEMBER MOURNING FOR "THE LIFE I THOUGHT KATIE WOULD HAVE" AND IN A SELFISH WAY "THE LIFE I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE WITH HER". I DON'T KNOW IF MY LITTLE GIRL WILL EVER GO TO COLLEGE OR GET MARRIED AND HAVE KIDS, BUT I DO KNOW THAT OUR FAMILY IS DEDICATED TO HELPING HER DO HER BEST, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE. AND TOGETHER WE WILL DREAM NEW DREAMS!

 

                  ---------------------------TINA