A boy who play piano for his mom

Is the hardest life the life with nothing to live for or the life with nothing to die for? Everything seems to be different and hard for me. Is it going to go like that forever?

I was practicing my piano like usual. Playing music pieces from the movies I watched. People are so surprised to hear that I can memorize the notes that they play from listening to it once and can mimic it without a music sheet. It isn’t something so special. Actually, I already lost my interest in piano a long time ago. I don’t like to practice piano, I don’t like to play piano anymore. I don’t hate it, it’s just that I lost my interest. Surely, you would ask me why I still keep playing piano every single day. It’s because of my mom. I played it for her. It’s the time I felt connected to her. Mom kept her old piano though everything break apart like pieces of glass. Debts, debts and debts. It’s everywhere. We can’t run away from it. Mom told me once that dad was surrounded with debts when they married. They wanted to end their lives and just be gone forever. It seems like a selfish act but you would understand how devastated you would be in that situation. Debts that weren’t able to be paid. Being unemployed. Taking responsibilities. Taking care of your family. I still appreciate that my parents went past that stage and came to a stable place. However, our problems didn’t end here.

I quit school to practice piano at home, everyday. Through CDs, music sheets, movies or even piano games. I practiced through all of them. Why am I doing it? It’s for my mom. It’s my mom’s joy. I liked to play for her, but at the same time I don't have interest in it. Mom was being called crazy for her choice to let me drop out of school and practice piano. It wasn’t an easy choice either! She did everything she thinks is great for me. With my ability to memorize, mimic the music, it would make me a child prodigy in music. That is the main reason why mom let me drop out. It may be false but by far the only reason I can think of. I’m also a normal child who wants to play and have fun. I also missed hanging out with my friends at school and jokes we all laughed at. I have no friends in the village except for a dog who accompanied me when I felt lonely.

Even though mom practiced piano with me, guiding me through the process and correcting my mistakes, I sometimes still have this lonely sensation in my heart. She was strict at times, and I felt the pressure. It’s the same pressure students would feel from the teachers but after all, she wanted me to be the best at it. There’s a broadcast team who came over to interview me and my mom. My dad was so busy with his work trying to make ends meet. Dad was asleep as soon as he reached his bed. He worked hard for us. Mom revealed during an interview with a crew member that despite knowing that I had such great piano skill and that I’m her precious baby. Mom hesitated for a moment before saying that she wanted to put me up for adoption. The crew members were all shocked. Mom looked down hesitantly before continuing. “It’s all because of financial problems, I couldn’t do anything for him. It’s all for his best. What if my financial instability blocked his potential? I want him to live in a great place where his potential can be shown and seen. Where he can improve his ability to the best.” She said with tears in her eyes. The crew members proceed to show her some of my drawings. The drawings I made during free time.

The first drawing he showed is a drawing of a bird in a nest on top of the tree. He explained to her what I wanted to say through this picture. The bird represents me. And the nest, it’s my home. The nest was drawn on top of the tree. The tree wouldn’t provide the bird with a stable home. You may understand the drawing now.

The second picture is a picture of a house with me, mom and dad in it. But we aren’t together in the drawing. Mom told the interviewer that dad can’t be with us because of his work but what is important in this picture is that mom wasn’t with me either. She was there with me during my piano practice and for the rest of time, mom was busy with the chores. I didn’t know about the interview until it was actually shown to me by a film crew. They asked me what does piano means to me. The answer popped up in my mind and I said it without any delay. “I'm playing it for my mom. “ I subconsciously smiled. They continued to ask why I can’t just say that I don’t wanna play? I told them that I can’t say it. I just don’t have enough courage to do so. I didn’t know that they showed the video to mom.

Mom said that she wanted to talk to me alone and she dragged me into our living room. She sat opposite to me and held my hand tightly. I looked at her with millions of questions in my eyes. She once again hesitated for a moment before saying the first word.

“Do you want to live with another family?” It was like an arrow struck through my heart. “I’ll die right away. “ I replied with no second thought. “I’ll die” mom asked me why. The only answer is “because I can’t live without you. You are precious to me. Because you love me.” I gave mom a big smile and she pulled me in for a tight hug. “I love you too”

Mom called the school to enroll me back to school. She took me out for a walk. It was autumn and a bit chilly. Mom took off her scarf and carefully wrapped it around my neck. She looked me in the eye and asked if piano is hard for me. I told her it’s hard but I’m going to practice it by myself after school. She smiled at me.

The first day of school was great and I can’t wait to tell mom about everything. As soon as I reached home, mom gave me a welcome hug and I told her everything about school even before properly sitting down. Mom was happy that I was happy again but today she seems sick. She looked pale and uncomfortable. She also constantly touches her stomach. We went to the hospital for a check up and the doctor found out that she had 3rd degree descending colon cancer. Just as everything went smoothly, another big problem started up. Mom was worried about who is gonna take care of me when she’s not here. I’m so sad that she’s sick and hope to do anything to make her better. Mom said my music would chase her pain away and all she felt is joy.

-> As a boy who played piano for his mother who suffered from terminal cancer, it is a story we can’t forget. This is the real story of the 9- Year Old Piano Prodigy, Yongjun Bae.

https://youtu.be/wU\-h3vgf19M

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