Wednesday, March 31, 2010

To The Beat Of His Own Drummer

I really enjoy the peace and quiet that comes after all the kids are put away for the night. Sometimes I just sit and listen...to nothing at all. The white calm rejuvenates me and I feel the stresses of the day slip away. I begin to breath deeper, and the "Amazing Race" going on in my brain slows. Ahhhh.........

Then, in the back of my mind I am disturbed by the tiniest sound; a rhythmic tapping that rises above all the other quiet thoughts. It moves rudely to the front of my mind and I can't seem to push it back down. Soon I am no longer blanketed by a peaceful calm. I am mind-searching for where the sound originates. Is it external? My senses kick in and my ears guide me...

I tilt my head up and to the left (my good ear). Curses fill my mind, taking the place of all the peace and quiet in less than a second.

"Jasen, STOP DRUMMING!!!" I shout through the ceiling. My peaceful moment shatters!

Jasen has a drummers heart. He carries drumsticks and taps incessantly. When I take the drumsticks away he uses his fingers or his feet or ANYTHING he can get his hands on. I imagine most of the time he is unaware...as he does it regularly during family prayer, Sacrament meeting and Math class. He is actually quite good, and carries a rhythm for long periods of time. Unfortunately, regardless of his intent or talent, it is driving me CRAZY! A majority of the time I can tune it out, but lately...I feel like I am treading on the brink of insanity.
I have tried to come up with solutions:

*cut off his hands
*duck tape him to the wall
*Chinese water torture

None of which will sit pretty with the Department of Social Services so...I think what I will do is:

*buy him a drum set and set it up in the garage...after all, once legitimate practicing comes into play he will quit.

1 comment:

Janette said...

Years ago I had a friend (in church) who played the bagpipes with a parade-type troop of pipe and drummers ... I remember I'd see him during sacrament meeting with something or other in his hands changing his finger position ... it was a much quieter form of practice, but if it's in the soul, it will find an outlet! :)