“So bye bye Miss American Pie …” Wow, how many times have I played that in my life? Probably just as many times as “Always look on the bright side of life …”
I’ve always loved music and when I was 13 I got my first guitar. It was a pretty good one too and I started unofficial lessons at school, though I never learnt to read the notes properly. It was the basic chords that I was taught.
I enjoyed it though and eventually I managed to play well enough to join in the youth group in my local church. At school I played and sang in a couple of school concerts but mostly I just mucked around with it at home.
I’ll never forget playing a duet of Simon and Garfunkel’s Feeling Groovy at a packed school concert hall and thinking we’d done a great job, only to be told afterwards we’d skipped an entire verse!
Then the mid-teenage years hit and the studies took over, then the going out and partying started and suddenly the guitar was relegated to the back of the wardrobe.
Fast forward thirty years and suddenly my guitar beckoned again. Out of its bag it came. Dusted off, I was drawn to it again. I found Gunar, an amazing guitar teacher and, feeling totally inspired, I learned how to read music, properly this time. That was a few years ago now.
Slowly but surely it all came together and I started tinkering with different styles, Blues, Jazz and then my favourite of all, Spanish and Flamenco. The classical pieces of Romanze and the Malaguena became my favourite pieces to play. The sounds of Spain were loud in our lounge room!
Lately it seems I’ve gone back to the beginning. The chords have come back. The family has to put up with me singing Ed Sheeran songs, strumming Taylor Swift’s Love Story and attempting loads of Adele.
Sometimes my guitar comes camping with me but mostly I save it for home, sometimes for my family but mostly for myself. And then it becomes a form of meditation for me. I lose myself in the music. Harry comes and sits at my feet and the guinea pigs sometimes squeak along.
I hadn’t played for awhile but today I felt the urge to belt out some of my favourites. Nights in White Satin by the Moody Blues, Cats in the Cradle, oh and a bit more of Adele … such good fun. And I was reminded of just how relaxing playing my guitar is and how happy it makes me feel.
I’m definitely no Taylor Swift but I love it.
You can see other people’s experience with music over at The Daily Post – Strike a chord.
Does anyone else have a passion they’ve lost and then found again?
Out an' About 
We must always look on the bright side of life and life will be better 🙂
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Definitely 🙂
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I’m trying hard to master Always Look on the Bright Side of Life on Uke. I always carry a couple of ukes on the caravan, a few strums and muso’s seem to come out of the woodwork. You’re right it certainly relieves stress.
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Glad you can relate 🙂
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I do not play the guitar, but I certainly like listening to it. Your picture with the fire reminded my of a trip I went on to Mexico, and a group of us sat on the beach with a fire and listening to a couple of guys playing guitars. It was a great time and a great memory. Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed reading this very much. 🙂
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Thanks Spear. I agree that hearing guitar playing and singing round a campfire is very relaxing. I just get a bit self-conscious when it’s me with the guitar. But at home I let loose!
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Great to hear you have rediscovered your guitar and I love your choice of songs! Keep it up 🙂 I have rediscovered running in later ears and despite a calf injury this year I’m getting back into it, albeit a bit slower than I was. It’s good to push yourself sometimes isn’t it?
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Is sure is. 🙂 Enjoy your running.
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I think it’s cool that you’ve taken up again something that you so enjoyed when you were younger. Finding something like that to de-stress and rejuvenate yourself at the same time is pretty awesome. 🙂 You go, girl! 😀
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Thank you for your lovely comments. I agree, it’s a great de-stresser!
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I have tried twice at different stages in my life to learn guitar but I obviously don’t have the perseverance to succeed in this matter. I used to play the piano and I can read music but I found guitar just too difficult for me.
My brother plays the guitar and I love listening to him. He bought a sittar when he travelled to India in the 60s and I have fond memories of him playing the sittar in the bathroom as that was where the best acoustics were. 🙂
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In the bathroom hey? Well, whatever works I guess. Guitar does take a bit of practice but I guess for some people it comes easier. I love listening to piano too, very relaxing.
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