Ever since I first saw the Jumblr post about Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" going around, I have been fascinated and in love with that song.

Also, I am trying to learn how to play the piano.

(Side note: if you are given a piano and some books, even if you are into learning piano, know that YOU DO NOT NEED TO USE THE BOOKS YOU ARE GIVEN! The best thing that happened to my piano skills was losing those very old adult piano lesson books in the move. This forced me to go to the library, check out a ton of books, and try different ones to see which one I liked. As it turns out, the one that's seeing the most use now is not the one I had decided upon, but still, it helped.)

Anyway, there is a local music store in town. My husband needed something from there, and we went inside. We browsed, and came to the display of sheet music. Primarily holiday-themed, but not totally.

And then I saw it. The sheet music for "Hallelujah". (For easy piano, but whatevs. I am a total newbie.) I picked it up.

Did you know that "Hallelujah" is written in C? This beautiful melody, these amazing harmonies, these gorgeous laments...and they're in a key that I know.

It is now my Challenge Song. Once I have practiced to the point where I feel I have done enough, (best thing about being an adult is gaguing how you learn!) I pull out "Hallelujah" and work on it.

Today, I can successfully play the melody line of the first line of the song. And it sounds good. Not great, but the music from my fingertips is similar to the music in my head.

Thanks to depression and imposter syndrome, there is very little in my life where, deep down, I feel proud of my accomplishments.

I am proud of the work that I have done on the piano.

(Also, I played "Jingle Bells", and it sounded like the "Jingle Bells" in my head! Maybe a little slow, but soooooo much better than before!)