The Tale of a Trumpet

The other day I took our son to trade in his old trumpet and buy a new one. He’s heading into high school in just a few months, and he’ll be playing his trumpet in the band. As we look ahead to ninth grade, this seemed like the right time to upgrade his instrument from the one he’s had since fourth grade.

I sat in the music store and watched our son try each of the trumpets on display, one by one. He knew immediately which one he liked the best, even though they all sounded fairly similar to my untrained ears. We handed over his old horn and walked out with a brand-new one—sleek and shiny and elegant.

One of the most wonderful gifts of being a parent is watching your children discover their passions and then pour themselves into them. When we met this child—then a toddler—almost 13 years ago in a government office in China, I never could have guessed what his talents and interests would be. He has so many and encountering each one has been a pleasant surprise.

Now, here we are, living in a house where I trip over the instrument cases on the way out the door and duck outside so I can take a phone call away from the practicing.

It’s truly a wonderful life.

I found myself thinking of how our new high schooler found his way to the trumpet. I would never have thought to introduce him to a brass instrument. But God had another plan.

As he was finishing third grade, my husband and I realized we needed to change elementary schools. We had no other option, but I recall crying through the closing school Mass that spring. I wanted so much for nothing to change. I prayed—as I so often do—not for the clarity that I already had, but for acceptance, which I needed.

As the door closed on that chapter of our lives, it was hard to see the light pouring through the window God was opening for us. But we found quickly that their new school was opening up opportunities for both our sons. One of the many extraordinary discoveries was an exceptional instrumental music program that has given them so much focus and pleasure.

There have been so many times when I couldn’t see how an ending would lead to a beautiful new beginning. But watching our son skillfully play his new trumpet during this season of transition and change has been a poignant reminder that God’s plan is more wondrous than I can see.

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