Guitar Lessons

I remember when I was in my senior year of high school and I went over to a friend’s place for the first time and found out he could play the guitar and pretty well; he was some somewhat of a hapless athlete and certainly ungifted in his studies so I was surprised to see his musical talent and if I’m honest, jealous because I wanted to have that skill. But alas it was too late, the time for learning musical instruments and languages had passed me by, if only I had picked it up earlier in life it would have been such a breeze.

Not long after that, while visiting my mother during a college holiday break I learned that she had taken up the violin. Here I was complaining to myself that it was too late to pick up the guitar and my mom was learning a new instrument without any care for that ‘I wish I had’ thinking. Someone once said, ‘It’s never too late to be what you were meant to be’ and it’s a lesson my mom taught me through example.

Now nearly ten years later and she’s taken up rowing, and I’m reminded again of how inspiring mom has been throughout the years. Perhaps I would never have learned to play the guitar, jumped out of a plane, never studied abroad or moved to California, never took a significant risk in my life if it wasn’t for her encouragement. I remember numerous times in my life when facing big decisions mom would tell me I could be and do anything I put my mind to, and when she said it I could see the belief in her eyes. And there formed the roots of my confidence, and I believe, the roots of my success, like they say: whether you believe to can do something or believe you can’t, you’re probably right. I hope this post doesn’t make dad jealous, he’ll get his own post, but this one is for mom, for being my constant example of bravery and optimism.

Cue the music: