Today, an old friend, I haven’t seen in 25 years stopped by the store. I almost didn’t recognize him. You see, he was one of my very first students. When I asked where he had been all these years, he said “got married, raised a family, built a career, helped parents transition to better living.

It’s what came next that made me appreciate my purpose even more. My old friend shared that he had undergone a serious illness and was on the mend. Feeling alone, scared and helpless–he decided to pick up his old accordion to see if he could rekindle the passion he once had. Knowing that he was pretty rusty, he decided to check our our website to see if there were any lessons that he could take before coming in to see me.

To his surprise, he found a few on our video page that spurred him into action. Of course, his accordion needed tuning, but he was determined to bring himself up to speed enough to pick up where he left off. He knew he needed to resume lessons, but he wanted to see if he had what it took to move forward. I knew that he had gotten through book 3 of his lesson series and that meant that what he learned 25 years ago was burned into his memory.

He also said, “I’ve been following Mahler Music Center on Facebook too. It is great to see you featuring accordionists from all over the world. It’s like you are featuring players in a whole different light. In the past, an accordion player was commonly known only for playing polkas and waltzes. That Dandas guy from last Saturday was an eye-opener! He is showcased like a rock star!”
For me, the aha moment came when he shared his belief in the healing power of music! Since he began playing again, he said he felt whole. What was once hidden deep inside him, is now resurfacing. His wife gone, kids raising families of their own and the beginning of a new chapter in his life–it made me proud that I’m still here and able to help bring joy back into his life.
Thank you my friend if you are reading this, you helped me remember just how important my journey in life is.

Ken Mahler, Owner/Operator
Mahler Music Center