🎹 “If Not Now, When?” — Iva’s Beautiful Return to the Piano
Every week, I have the privilege of witnessing extraordinary students rediscover parts of themselves through music, but Iva’s story is one that touched me deeply. It’s a reminder that sometimes the biggest breakthroughs happen the moment we decide to stop hesitating and start living.
When I first learned about Iva’s journey, I was moved by her honesty and her courage. She began her relationship with the piano as a young girl—just eight years old. She took lessons for a year, but as life often does, it pulled her in other directions. She stepped away from the piano, carrying with her a quiet dream she didn’t know would one day return with such strength.
Years later, she tried again. And again, life got in the way. Too much happening, too many responsibilities, too many reasons to put herself last. Yet the desire never disappeared. It stayed alive inside her, waiting patiently for the moment she would finally say “yes.”
A few months ago, she found Ridley Academy. She saw one of our promotions and felt something spark inside her—a little reminder of the girl who once fell in love with the piano. But right behind that spark came all the thoughts that stop so many people from pursuing their dreams:
“I’m too old.”
“I won’t have time.”
“It’s too late for me.”
“What if I can’t do it?”
And yet, in the middle of all those doubts, one powerful thought broke through:
“If not now, when?”
That single thought changed everything.
She enrolled. She took the leap.
And from that moment on, her musical life—and her personal life—began to transform.
In just three months, Iva has grown in ways that make me incredibly proud. She’s understanding the language of music. She’s developing real technique. She’s having AHA moments that light her up from the inside. And more than anything, she’s reconnecting with a part of herself she thought she had lost years ago.
“I’m proud of myself—and that is priceless.”
Those words mean the world to me, because they capture the true purpose of Ridley Academy. Yes, we teach piano. Yes, we build musicianship. But what we really do is help people remember who they are, what they’re capable of, and what they deserve.
Iva told me:
“This is the best personal move I could have made for myself—especially at my age.”
And I believe her. Not because of what I teach, but because of what she chose:
Courage.
Commitment.
And the willingness to begin again.
Her story is a reminder to every single person reading this:
It is never too late.
Not for music.
Not for growth.
Not for joy.
Not for you.
I’m incredibly proud of Iva and honored to be part of her journey. And if her story resonates with you—if something in you is whispering that it’s time—maybe this is your moment too.
With love,
Stephen
