Alma's little story
(Dedicated to Alma Deutscher)
A very young girl heard a song once in the town. The song was so sweet, so deep, so full of emotions, that, astonished by this wonder, she turned to her parents and asked: 'how can music be so beautiful?'
I don't know what her parents said, but they must had been struck because she was so young (maybe only three!) to make such a deep question. The question kept open (there are certain mysteries in this world, that will never be solved) but she quickly learned to make music with the violin and the piano and she played as if she was born to do that!
Some time after, fiddling around in the park she met a new friend. But not a child. Not a girl nor a boy. Not a person at all. No, not a cat either. Not a canary. Not a dog. It was just a rope. Yes, a rope! A skipping rope. A purple skipping rope to be exact. Actually a magic purple skipping rope to be even more exact. Indeed I think that the rope was alive inside. It didn't talk, but when she waved it around in the air the most incredible thing came about. Music from it came out! But not any music she had heard before. This was music which had never sounded afore.
She ran to the house, took a piece of paper and note upon note she wrote this melody down, then put some harmonies and after a lot of work she had made her first composition on her own! Well, with the help of the rope of course. But shouldn't she take credit as much as the rope, or even more? After all the rope just spitted out notes, but the girl was the only person in the world who could hear them. Besides, the rope sang only when she waved it around. And last but not least, she was who did all the hard work!
So time went by and the girl went on hearing music, but not only from her rope. Anytime she was doing something or even when someone was talking to her, suddenly she started to hear music in his head! And even in her dreams! So after all, it wasn't just the rope which was magic.
And then, she used the music she got, to make compositions. Such compositions, that when people heard them they asked themselves the same question she asked at the first place: 'how can music be so beautiful?'. But she didn't just write it, she also played her music at stages with the violin and the piano or even singing at some occasions. And she did it as lovely as nobody else could ever!
Some people with no many lights, used to say 'she is a little Mozart!', thinking that it was a compliment, because everyone knows how genius Mozart was in his time. But is it not a crime to compare such a unique and beautiful soul?
If things had been different and Mozart had come after and not before her, would those people call him a little Alma? Silly, right? I think that when you are facing a miracle the better you can do is to keep silence. And also, she doesn't like to be called 'little' at all! If there is something that can make her annoyed is to be called such. After all, how can something 'little' keep so many wonders inside?
(So you are warned now, if you happen to come across her you don't want to call her 'little'!)
Anyway, thing is that while she was growing into a young lady, she continued hearing and composing and playing music, but at some point she realized that as much as there are goodness and happiness in this world, there are also iniquity and pain. Nevertheless, this didn't get her down at all. On the contrary, she was persuaded to make a better world with her music! And so, the world is getting much better every day for every note written or played by her goes to fill a place in some heart waiting for it.
Now, the story continues of course, but we'll have to wait to see it develop. By the way, I forgot to tell you that her name is Alma, which in my language means soul (it's such a fair name isn't it?)
So I'll see you soon to tell you the rest of the story I hope, but if by chance you come across this girl please just tell her: 'don't stop waving your rope!'
***
Final words:
I heard an inspiring story once, that I want to share now. It's about a town sieged by the shadow of a mountain which grew up in a few days and covered the sun making crops die and people starve.
One day an old man who was leaving the town was asked:
- where are you going?
- I'm going to move the mountain - he replied.
- Do so? And with what if I may ask?
- With this - said the old man waving a tiny spoon in his hand.
- You'll not be able to do it.
- No, I won't, but someone has to start!
So this is what I think. Perhaps we can't change the world, but we can start changing it! With a spoon, with a rope, with the bare hands, we can start making a better world. The only thing we need is to be who we really are and nothing else.
I know Alma is who she really is, and she inspired me and I'm sure other people too, to be who I really Am.
As a way of saying thank you I wrote this little story from my heart. I'm not so good at english (I had to learn some new words to write it) but I hope I made my point.
-
Carlos Hugo Lescano - July 2016
