Story #2: The Call from the Street: Magicians of Music (v3)
Key Takeaway:
Looking around, and being open to the world, without having any judgement has a huge impact on the discovery and the development of your passion. We see people do things they love and that others love seeing, and we realise it’s possible for us to do.
The Story
On a sunny afternoon, a few months before his first birthday, Taiyo was enjoying with his mum the bustling atmosphere of the Corso, the main pedestrian street in Manly. The air was filled with laughter, the scent of delicious food, and the sound of lively chatter. But what captivated Taiyo the most was the enchanting melody played by a cool seal sitting on a milk crate.
As they approached this magician of music, Taiyo tugged at his mom's flipper, urging her to stop. He climbed down his pram and crawled to the musician, still wearing his diaper. He watched in awe as the seal strummed his guitar with ease, sending waves of melody through the crowd. Taiyo felt a surge of joy and excitement. People were walking by, some people would stop, smile and throw something shiny into his guitar case. Taiyo got closer to the guitar case and reached out with his flipper, he found coins, lots of coins. He didn’t know yet was coins were for but he liked how shiny they were and the clinging noise they were making when being dropped on top of each of them.
After that, Taiyo kept asking his mum to go back to the Corso to check out more magicians of music. There were so many types of all ages: young echidnas playing electric guitars, an old kookaburra playing acoustic guitar, and sometimes a group of koalas in a band. He was always clapping for them.
One day his mum gave him a gold coin and pointed to the musician. She wanted him to drop it in his case. It was so scary to do that in front of all the other animals watching! ‘You know Taiyo, street musicians love it when people applaud them, it motivates them to continue sharing their music, but giving them coins is another way to tell them that we really enjoy what they do. It’s a way to thank them for bringing joy to the street.’ He did it slowly and his mum said he was really brave! Then, each time he did it, he got a smile, a wink or another reaction from the musician, he loved it!
Another day, as Taiyo was listening to a group of water dragons playing in a band next to the beach with percussions, a piano, guitars and more, he noticed other little penguins girls dancing to the rhythm. It seemed like they were having so much fun, and Taiyo couldn't resist joining them. As he swayed to the beat, he felt his heart race with excitement.
The years passed and Taiyo's love for music grew stronger. One afternoon, his dad shared a little joke with him. "Why did the penguin become a musician, Taiyo?"
Taiyo shook his head, eager to know the punchline.
"Because he wanted to be a rockhopper star!" His dad chuckled.
Taiyo laughed and thought of the magicians of music at the Corso, or ‘buskers’ as he had learned later on how they were called. Through his journey, Taiyo learned the importance of being open to the world and exploring his passions without judgment. By embracing his love for music and sharing it with others, he not only brought joy to himself but also to everyone around him.
Taiyo knew that someday, he too would be able to share the magic of music with others. But when would he be brave enough to do so? It seemed even scarier than the first time he dropped a gold coin in a performer’s case!!
Questions before falling asleep, to encourage your kids to imagine themselves in Taiyo’s shoes
Have you ever seen musicians on the street? What instruments were they playing? Did you enjoy their music on the street? Why do they play?
Have you ever given a coin to a street musician? Was it scary? Why did you do it?
Original Videos:
PS:
This is just a draft, I am not a writer but I welcome your opinions below to help me write a children's book that can truly inspire children to find their passion for music and start playing in the streets for everyone's enjoyment