During the cleaning weekend we recently had in our Center in Helmond, I really experienced the immense change in myself after the COVID period. I was asked to tune the piano in the practice hall. My first reaction -in shock- was “No!”. But immediately thereafter everything we’ve been hearing in the last two years came to mind and displaced any hesitation. Do what you can, there is no time limit, don’t think about it just do it, don’t worry, just try.

Piano tuning is a skill comparable to riding a bicycle or swimming, a child learning to walk. Practice, practice, over and over again and suddenly you know/feel/hear it. Of course, regular practice is important, just like Taoist Tai Chi® arts.

When I was tuning the piano there were moments when it was busy and noisy in the practice hall. Listening was quite a challenge. It was at that moment that I felt a big difference from before. Then it had to be absolutely silent around me and every sound caused a loss of concentration. I noticed now that my focus was amazingly sharp and I just listened during the quiet moments. I felt that it was very different than ever. It happened twice that one of my tools fell into the piano and both times there was ‘suddenly’ a participant to help find it again. I was helped without asking, great!

Of course it took me longer than in former times, but what surprised me is that I physically managed to finish the job. A big change compared to the time before COVID and I realized that the daily training is paying off. Another advantage of the disadvantage called pandemic!

The concept ‘in tune’ has also changed, from an absolute to a balanced feeling.