Don't be afraid to make mistakes.

Yurchik was sitting on a small bench in front of the piano and didn't press a single key. He was just sitting. His hands were on his knees. In the sheet music in front of him was a new melody—"Little Waltz." Tomorrow is a concert at the music school.

Yesterday he played this waltz for his parents for the first time — and he made a mistake. Twice. Just in the middle of the melody. Dad said: «It’s okay, you’ll still have time.» Mom said: «You’re doing great, don’t be nervous.» But Yurchik decided: tomorrow he will NOT make a mistake. Otherwise — it would be a shame.

And now he was afraid to even start playing. Because if he made a mistake now, he would make a mistake tomorrow. And if he made a mistake tomorrow, everyone would be looking at him. All the teachers. All the parents. And that boy from second grade who came yesterday and said, "I play without mistakes.".

«"It's better not to play at all," thought Yurchik. "I'll tell my mother that I'm sick.".

Suddenly, on the lacquered top of the piano, right in the place where he had already placed his score a hundred times, a... squirrel appeared.

Small, red-haired, in a pink scarf. With an acorn in her paws. She looked at Yurchik with big, curious eyes.

"Hello," said the squirrel. "Why aren't you playing?"

Yurchik opened his mouth wide. Squirrel. On the piano. Talking.

"You... who are you?"

— Straw. And you?

— Yu-yurchik.

"Yurchyk, then play. I really like waltzes. There's a mole in our forest who plays a little harmonica, you know? It's very cute. But he can't waltz.".

Yurchik giggled. Because he's a mole. On the accordion.

And then on the top shelf of the music cabinet, next to the piano, there was a rustling. And a big, warm owl descended. With light brown feathers, a cream chest, and small round glasses on its beak.

— Good evening, Yurchyk. I'm Sofiyka. Are you scared?

Yurchik nodded. He suddenly felt better, just because someone had said the word out loud.

"I'm afraid I'll make a mistake tomorrow," he said quietly. "Everyone will see.".

Solomiya carefully moved to the edge of the piano and sat down next to Yurchyk on the bench, like a little red-haired friend.

"And I once tried to jump from branch to branch," she shared. "Y-y-y-y!" I missed. I fell right into a puddle. In front of all the squirrels from our oak.".

- And what happened?

— We laughed. For five minutes. And then Dad came running, hugged me, dried me off with his tail and said, «Well done for trying.» And you know what? The next day I jumped over. And the next. Now I’m the fastest squirrel in our forest.

Yurchik looked at Solomiyka with wide eyes.

"Yurchyk," Sofiyka said softly, "I want to tell you something. About mistakes. Do you want to listen?"

Yurchik nodded.

🦉 Lesson from Sofiyka

"You know," Solomiyka carefully shook her head, "when I was starting to learn to jump, I fell." a hundred times. I counted that. One hundred. Then I stopped counting — it got boring.

"And Beethoven," added Sofiyka, "played the concerto already deaf. And he made mistakes too. But no one even noticed, because the music came from the heart.".

Yurchik smiled genuinely for the first time all day.

“What if I make a mistake tomorrow?” Yurchik asked quietly.

"Well, you'll be wrong," Solomiyka shrugged. "Keep playing. No one will remember a single note. They'll remember your melody. And your smile.".

"And I won't have a smile. I'll be nervous.".

"And you should practice smiling," Solomiyka winked. "Right now. In front of the piano. Like a little sun.".

Yurchik twisted the corners of his lips. It was more like a grimace.

"Well, the sun is behind the cloud for now," Solomiyka laughed. "But it will work out. Everything will work out.".

Sophie slowly flapped her wing.

— Yurchyk, play now. And they washed it once on purpose. Just to see that nothing happened.

Yurchik took a deep breath. He placed his fingers on the keys. And started playing.

Sofiyka believes in you. And Solomiyka too. 🦉🐿️