By some measures I take piano too seriously (it’s a convenient vehicle for relentless self-criticism), and by some I don’t take it seriously enough (I actually should practice more). My own first answer to the question of “why do it at all” is also glib: this has been part of my life for almost as long as I’ve been alive, and I’m probably just going to keep playing because it’s hard to imagine not doing it. My second answer comes from one of my music teachers: I do it because it means I get to spend time every day with Chopin and Schubert. My third answer is that it’s good to have something you take seriously, and ideally it’s something you love.