I was speaking with a music teacher who I met last week and she told me an incredible story.  She’s been teaching a certain instrument to children for decades.  A few years back, two different seven-year-olds started lessons around the same time.  One of them was gifted.  She picked up everything immediately.  She had the rhythm, grasped the melodies and never had to practice.  The other one was the most challenged student she had ever seen.  She couldn’t pick up the songs, she had no rhythm, and she struggled to play.  But she practiced every day and she loved coming to class to learn more.  Numerous times over the years the teacher thought of mentioning to her parents that maybe this instrument wasn’t for her.  Maybe she should try something else.  But she always held back as the girl seemed to enjoy the process so much. Continue reading