THE END OF A DREAM.....

This may look like an unimportant trio of very large cardboard boxes to you, but in actuality this is my lifelong dream all packaged up and on its way to Wisconsin.  It breaks my heart to see them go, but this is all part of the business.

What in the world am I talking about?

I recently acquired a used set of Orchestra Chimes off of eBay.  Needless to say, it was a rather hefty investment, but I had always wanted to own a set, so I could not resist snatching them up for the price at which they were being offered.  My intention from the beginning, however, was to restore them and resell them.  They were certainly the coolest and most enjoyable percussion instrument I have ever played, but I knew in my heart that I could not justify keeping them for myself when others would have a much more practical use for them.  Having them standing around the Percussion Fortress and available for me to tinker around with at my leisure was nice, but not this majestic instrument's intended purpose.

So as much as it pained me, I listed my set of chimes on eBay for a very reasonable price while still turning a satisfactory profit.  After all, I put a lot of time and effort into this project, taking the instrument completely apart, replacing all the screws and suspension wires, dusting out the damper box, and figuring out how this massive musical instrument is manipulated and operated.  I researched all the nuts and bolts, found specification pages that explained all the parts and their catalog numbers, learned how it should be properly played, and gained some valuable experience repairing and restoring this unique piece.

But eventually the time came when my dream had reached a conclusion and it was time for me to wake up.  I had found a buyer and a new home for my beloved chimes.  They are now off to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where a junior high school orchestra with a limited budget is in desperate need of a set of Orchestra Chimes.  Now they have them at a price they could afford.  They are on their way to be played and appreciated by young aspiring musicians who otherwise would have never gotten the opportunity or the privilege to play such a grand and beautiful instrument.  The thought of them experiencing this wonder that I had sought to experience for thirty some-odd years makes the sadness of giving up my chimes a little easier to bear.

It's still hard to watch them go, however, and I already miss them terribly.  But I will keep my eye on eBay and perhaps, Lord willing, I will find another set that needs a little help getting cleaned up and finding a suitable home.  That is an opportunity and an honor I can only dream of getting, but sometimes, if only briefly, my dreams come true.