52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (Week 8) Heirloom: The Piano of my childhood

Memories can surprise us, emerging when least expected. The prompt "Heirloom" from the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge instantly brought the sound of my daddy playing the piano to my ears—the piano that was a cornerstone of my childhood, adolescence, and college years.

Countless mornings as a child in west Texas, I found myself seated at that piano, fingers dancing over the keys in the quiet hours before the school bus arrived. Even after 60+ years in my parents' home, its black walnut frame remains as stunning as ever. This piano, once owned by my great-grandmother Nina Ada (Baldridge) Dennis—whom I affectionately knew as “Mama Dennis”—was a cherished gift from my great-grandfather, Oran Martin Dennis, during their time in San Angelo, Texas.

The piano passed down to my mother and is destined to be inherited by one of my sister’s sons.

Mother's piano today

I can still hear my daddy playing Mama Dennis' piano, the joy of music from that magnificent piano echoing as a daily presence. Can you hear it too? It’s my daddy playing, weaving a tapestry of memories.

If only that old piano could sing...if only....💗

- Revis