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Swaying back and forth, the horns lined up in mid air with their amazing toot-toots blaring. The flutes and other woodwinds jumped and danced while they whistled and peeped their melodies. Sitting in a circle around the dancing flutes, the stringed instruments, with their bows gliding made splendid tones. These stringed instruments were considered the most important ones, and it was a great honor to be a cello or a violin. For this reason, only the most talented stringed instruments were allowed to play in Magic Music Forest Orchestra. Many Sundays, Freddie, the littlest violin, listened to the orchestra and wished he was talented enough to play with them. In truth he was, but alas, being shy, his nervousness ruined every audition he tried. Little Freddie got so tense around the other violins, he usually popped a string. One Sunday morning, Cassandra the violin was playing with some birds in a tree. A strong wind startled her, and she fell to the ground and split her beautiful wooden case. Charlie, the chief cello, came to see Freddie right away. "Freddie, you are going to have to replace Cassie today in the concert." "WHAT?" Freddie asked. His brown wood paled in fright and his strings shook. "I can't play. I've failed every audition." "You have to, Freddie! There isn't anyone else!" "Noooo! I can't!" "Yes, you can!" It was the voice of Harry the Harp, who dragged himself over to Freddie, scraping his case along the ground as he moved. He smiled by strumming a little greeting on his shiny harp strings. The heavenly melody made Freddie feel better. "Freddie, I know you love to play," the harp continued. "I hear you alone by the lake every day stroking your strings. Your music is amazing." "Yes, but I'm so afraid around the other instruments," Freddie replied. He looked down, scratched his bow in the dirt thoughtfully and added, "I'm shy." "Freddie, you love the music." The harp pulled himself closer to Freddie. "I'm going to tell you a secret. It is the best-kept secret in the whole of Magic Music Forest." He leaned closer and whispered. "The instruments don't play themselves. The music does." "What?" "The music plays itself. All you have to do, Freddie, is surrender to the music and let it play. It will take care of itself, if you just get out of the way." Freddie studied the old harp for a moment. He had to admit when he played alone by the lake, once he became lost in the sounds, the bow moved all by itself. "Freddie, you have to play today, but now you know the secret." Harry the Harp winked at Freddie. "Well, I don't know. I guess I'll try," the little violin said. At concert time, the stringed instruments lined up, and Freddie took his place. He felt nervous about being with the orchestra. From across the way, Harry the Harp smiled at him by strumming his signature tune, a nice melody that tickled one's fancy. Freddie plucked a few strings in the familiar old tune while waiting for the concert to begin. He became so interested in the little song, he forgot to be nervous. When the concert began, Freddie jumped right in, blending with the others. To his surprise, the bow took off with an energy of its own as it moved across his strings and played the lovely music. The little violin learned an important
lesson that day. He learned if you love doing something, that
love is stronger than fear. All you have to do is surrender to
your love and set it free. Jo Janoski © 2009
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