Why the piano?

When I was six years old, I began taking piano lessons from my aunt. It used to frustrate me like crazy to sit and practice, but I continued at it anyways. I moved to Idaho when I was eight, but my aunt moved there at the same time. I continued my lessons until returning to Utah at age eleven. It was at the age of twelve that I learned how to play the clarinet in the junior high band. In the past year, I've become very attatched to the piano, but chose not to take band. Why is it that I prefer the piano over the clarinet?
At age thriteen, I began practicing and advancing at the piano on my own. I didn't take any more lessons. At the same time, I was learning the new "awsome" instrument of the clarinet. In junior high, the band was the "coolest" group to be a part of. While I was teaching myself the piano, I was more excited about my advancement in the band. By eighth grade I had made the top band at my school. The music was so much fun. However, I didn't get to pick any of my music. I also had to practice an exact amount of time every week, even if I had a lot going on. It was hard, but at the time I felt that it was worth it.
At Mountain View High School, (no offense to anyone) the band isn't as cool to be in as it was at Orem Junior High. As a sophmore, I made the top band at Mountain View. However, it wasn't as enjoyable as the past years. Why? I wasn't quite sure why I didn't like it as much. When I play with the band, there's such an amazing feeling to be in the middle of such a beautiful sound. And yet, I wasn't enjoying myself. Why? Once again, when you're in a band, you don't get any say in the music that you play. That music is hard and may not have an exciting part for a second clarinet. Still, you have to practice and practice for several hours a week to perfect the music you may not even like. I wonder why it wasn't worth it on concert night, to feel like you belong to such an amazing sound.
When I play the beautiful mahagony piano in my living room, it doesn't seem as powerful; but now that I think about it, it has just as much power as an entire band. I can use volume, style, speed and rhythm to my own advantage. There are hundreds of tools I can use to manipulate my music into playing what I want it to be. Not only that, but I get to choose whatever songs I want to play. I play the songs that I want to play, when I want to play them, for as long or short as I want to play them. It's so wonderful. (Plus, I don't have to play to certain standards or guidlines.)
I guess that the main reason I love to play the piano more than the clarinet, is that I have freedom when I play the piano. There aren't any binding standards or rules that I have to abide by. I am able to express myself, rather than my band. When I play the piano, it makes me feel independent, and I get to use my own creativity to create my own masterpiece of someone else's (even if theirs sounds better).