*Perfect Chord

Intro: I helped accompany a musical number in church today. While I'm not truly an accomplished musician, I can preform moderately well. Though I have experienced many of these same feelings, I've never had this particular terrifying experience.

The lights are dim. The piano squats in the center of the stage. There is a breath of anticipation as the lights slowly brighten. Squaring my shoulders, I step from the side. The smattering of applause did nothing to still my heart. It drove the beating faster until it felt like my heart would exploded. The sleek hulking figure drew nearer with every hesitant step.

I adjust my skirt with shaking hands. Perched on the cushioned leather seat my hand pause over the keyboard. The audience breaths deep and waits. The notes, the rhythms jumble together. I can't remember the first note. My fingers, still inches above the keys, twitch. What was that first note?
The pause stretched on for eternity. My brain is racing. I close my eyes and breath deeply.

Gently I lower my still shaking fingers to the keys. The first chord is strong. It activates my memory. The notes, learned from hours of practice, flow freely. Even the tricky passage runs smoothly, though not perfectly.

There is only the piano and me. The song has never sounded more beautiful. Now, for the final chord, the mot often missed note. My fingers never want to play it right. Holding my breath I crescendo up and smash my fingers down. The applause is thundering yet all I can hear is the perfect chord. All of the hours, the tears, the frustration, and the money is finally worth it.