"Strings" by Katherine Krane is a well-written Realistic Fiction piece depicting the true beauty of music. From being introduced to the stringed object that was so foreign to the character to mastering the instrument and enjoying it even in her old age, the piece eloquently sums up how dedicated musicians are in their art.

I've always been told I have "pianist fingers." And because of this, of course my parents coaxed me to pursue the piano from a young age. I took lessons until a few years back, and at that point I played on my own accord. Similar to the character in Katherine's piece,  I was quite skeptical of just how far I would go   with playing. Watching professional pianists leap gracefully from key to key intimidated my young self, but I'll never forget the first time I successfully played a piece, and how my heart fluttered with joy and how much I just swelled with pride at the look on my mother's face. And at that moment I knew that I would do anything it takes to be able to achieve what those musicians did in the past.

Every musician is attached to their instrument because it is of sentimental value to them, and Katherine's piece captures that perfectly. To me, my piano is not just an object. It is a part of me because of all the time I have spent perfecting every little note, correcting the moments when my hand would trip on C Sharp or every time I would stumble on a chord unknown to me. My piano is a representation of what I am able to do if I put in the right amount of hard work and commitment. I am able to create astounding music woven right from my very own fingertips. And honestly, that concept is quite amazing to me, and no matter how much I might improve, it will never cease being so.

"Strings" portrays how a musicians' talent slowly blooms into something glorious and how important the instruments are to them. Everyone has potential, and some of our potential just happens to lie within the strings of a violin, or the valves on a trumpet, or even the keys on a piano.