Simple Pleasures: Making Music

"This Machine Kills the Desire to Consume"

I have always enjoyed music. Learning to play guitar was a goal of mine that I had set early in life. I was ten when I started lessons, and I was ten when I laid my instrument down. I quit after only learning a few chords.

Amazing how busy life gets after we turn about ten or eleven. The rush of life stifled my desire to be musical as I concentrated on goals society had set out for me. 1971 turned into 2000 amazingly fast. I had still not learned to play guitar.

I finally wised up to the whole work-life thing, and took a pause from all the busyness in 2001. All of a sudden I had a lot more time on my hands. Sweet, delicious, open-ended time. I felt guilty about not being busy after being on the treadmill for so long, but soon got used to my relaxed schedule.

Still, I vowed to use my time constructively to do the things I did not feel I had time for previously. Up near the top of the list - learn guitar, of course.

Even though I had a guitar in the house for a few years, I had still not picked it up. Me and it were similar ends of a magnet repelling each other. I always had something else to do. Then my radical lifestyle change gave my musical side the time it needed to grow.

What better way to fill the newly found hours than with harmonic vibrations of a beautiful instrument? I finally opened the case, and have not looked back since.

Very quickly the guitar which had previously taunted me became my friend. I enjoyed learning alone, and with Linda, about guitar and music. Also, I must give a nod to the Beatles, Neil Young, and a variety of other friends that also enjoy the simple pleasures of making music.

After immersing myself in creating music I can't conceive of how I existed before without it. Very few days have gone by in the last few years that I have not spent time making music. It has been slow going, and I have destroyed my fair share of great songs, but progress has been evident all along.

I have found an entire universe that I was unaware of before deciding to work less, and explore life more. Having more time was the key that opened the door for me, and I took advantage and stepped into musicality, a place I have always wanted to go.

Everyone has the ability to make, and enjoy music. It is a simple pleasure that I cherish, and one I would unreservedly recommend to anyone. Clap, sing, tap a toe, shout, rap, bang a drum, strum an instrument.

Resonate. Enjoy creating harmonious sounds. The world would be better off if we worked less, and made music together more.

"God respects me when I work, but he loves me when I sing."

 -  Rumi