By Dan Sheridan

 Waukegan, IL. - "Music has charms to soothe a savage breast," says the first line of William Congreve's play The Mourning Bride (1697). That's how many of us feel after a tough day at work – savage! But how do we find soothing?
 When in my 20s, I was a sales manager dealing with the constant barrage of both customer and employee complaints. To destress, I would come home and hit a punching bag. The workout was fun, but it didn't have lasting effects on my stress-level or mental state.
 Fast-forward twenty-five years. I am now 49, a grandfather, I suffer from chronic pain, and am recovering from a second major spinal surgery. I can't hit the bag anymore. Though I've always had the desire to play the piano, I dismissed the idea thinking that it was too late. I would listen to musicians like Billy Joel and get discouraged, thinking, "I'll never be that good; only those who start young get that good."
 I decided to stop making excuses. No more dreaming, it's time to play! So, I went to Family Piano, in Waukegan, purchased an upright piano, and began taking lessons.
 My teacher at Family Piano gave me great advice. She told me not to worry about the Billy Joel's of the world, enjoy yourself, take it one lesson, one note, one chord at a time. So, I set aside ten minutes every day to sit at the piano. Some days I play for ten minutes, others for 35 or more, but that little time investment has changed my life. My stress levels are way down, and my wife says my disposition has grown a little sweeter.
 
Read the article in the latest edition of Puro Futbol Newspaper. You can find it in your nearest restaurant, bakery, supermarket, laundromat, school, and court.