Mom - Happy 86th Birthday!
July 29
We were given permission to leave the mission field temporarily and return home to spend time with my ailing mother. It was a blessing and privilege to spend our days sharing memories with her and attending to her physical needs - sometimes around the clock.
Mom, what a blessing our being with you was for us! You are a light and a joy to all who know you. It was an honor to spend time in your presence.
Her home became a great gathering place while we were visiting. (Actually, it always has been.) Often, four generations were gathered around her bed, letting "Grandma" know how much she was loved and treasured. What a lady! In the picture above, are some of our grandchildren. Avery holds her brother, Isaiah as brother Dyson and cousin Alexa snuggle close. They wanted to see great-grandma and her miniature Chihuahua named "Puppy." Here they stand on great-grandma's deck at sunset.
Mom is a classy, determined lady and is still going strong! She loves people - has always served the Lord and her fellowmen, including two missions to England, and has worked on Temple Square as a missionary with our father.
And speaking of stubborn..uh...determined...Mom insisted that all her children study piano until they were 18 years of age - and everyone plays to this day. I, for one am eternally grateful to Mom for her rule that "You only have to practice on the days you eat." Though given in jest, we did need to practice. And because of that, I still today have a great love of music and a heritage of teaching that has lasted for 50 years. Mom was strict with us in our daily piano practice - not because she had taken music lessons, but rather, because she hadn't.
Her children would practice every day for one hour, two hours a day in the summer and would not be allowed friends, movies, talking on the phone, schools activities or TV (when we finally got one) until practicing had been done... properly and completely! She set a stop watch. When we goofed off or 'played the piano' rather than practicing she stopped the watch and added time to our "hour" of practicing. Ardell Zimmerman defined words for her children - especially words like discipline, commitment, duty and work, but also words like well-done, wonderful, honor, joy and success.
I began teaching at age 16 simply because "I knew more than someone else" and my teacher said that it was a great way to make some spending money. Having since taught literally thousands of students, including our own daughters, it became a way of life in my household. Our daughters were teaching music by the time they were 12 years old, through their teen and college years and into married and adult life. It has been the chosen profession of three of our four daughters since those very early years.
We all owe this great legacy of musical discipline to my mother who wouldn't allow us whining, disgruntled children to dissuade her from such an important life decision as learning to play the piano - even though it would have been much easier for her and for us. Did we love to practice? No! Did we do it? Yes! If parents today only had Mom's determination, kids would 1) know how to work 2) fell the joy of success in difficult things and 3) be very good piano players!
Thanks Mom, Grandma, Great-grandma!
You are one in a million.
I love you!
5 comments:
I loved this post Sharon. I've not heard one cross word from Ardell throughout her entire illness these past two months. She truly is a special woman who raised some wonderful children.
If not for Grandma as well as you and Dad, I couldn't have comfortably provided for my family when Samuel died through teaching piano. I had an education plus was able to be a stay-at-home mother. Thanks to BOTH of you for having the insight to know how valuable a great musical education was!!
Love you ten.
Your mother is a beautiful lady, Sharon. This is a beautiful entry.
What a gift for your family and all who associate with you. We are glad you are back in NY and hope you had an incredible week with your three adorable girls! It was a treat to meet them.
I guess Mom had mellowed by the time I came along. I never practiced more than one hour at a time that I can remember, except during preparation for a recital. I quit piano at age 16 (as I recall). I certainly can remember that she got us up every morning at 5:30 or 6:00 and made us practice before school or play. Maybe because I just got up and did it (I'm a morning person to this day), I never had to go without food or water. :)
It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized music isn't the only important skill or hobby in life! (Some of Mom's strong influence was hard to overcome!) Instead of making my kids take piano, I involed them in my hobbies--math, science, reading computers, running, chess, art, etc.--and to this day, I don't regret that none can play the piano, because they are so acoomplished in their own fields, many of which came right out of our family hobbies.
Regardless of the above, I cherish my ability to serve others through piano playing. I cherish my "hobby" of music and art history, attending concerts of classical music, and enjoying all the fine arts--all of which was made possible only because of Mom's efforts at encouraging us to learn and love music. I can remember that everytime I told her that I wanted to quit piano, she would say, "What? You want to grow up and be stupid?" (or something to that effect).
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