As you can see my username is Kendan but you can just call me Ken. I’m 34 years old. I grew up a tech guy so I’m a bit of a geek. I, like many of you, always wanted to learn how to play the guitar. I just never felt I had the time or the resources to learn. As time went on I kind of let that dream slip away.
My best friend was my cousin and in early May she passed away suddenly. It broke my heart severely. The only way I’ve been able to piece my heart back together was by attempting to give some kind of justification to it all. So I made a promise to her memory that I would better myself. So I put myself on a diet (currently down 18 lbs.) and I took my guitar out of storage.
Originally, I didn’t take the guitar out of storage for myself. I intended to give it away to some one at her funeral. As I was preparing for the funeral I just kept looking at the guitar and finding myself not wanting to part with it. It might sound silly but some part of me felt like it was her telling me to keep it, so I did.
She was always very musically inclined. She was a bit of a hipster though. She loved her obscure bands. I couldn’t stand any of them.
She knew I always wanted to learn how to play guitar. She was around for my previous attempt at learning how to play. At the time I had a fender classical guitar that I had since I was 12. I didn’t know what a classical guitar was though. I thought it was just an acoustic with nylon strings that were meant for children. If you can believe it I replaced them with Earnie Ball Super Slinky strings. I’m actually a bit embarrassed by that story. I’ll be honest though the guitar with those Earnie Balls strings sounded beautiful. Anyways she always wanted to hear my progress of songs I was rushing into too head strong.
I later updated from that classical to an Epiphone Les Paul beginners kit and that’s the one I took out of storage and the one I’m playing with now. I’m currently on Module 6. I’ve never made it this far with my learning before. I never knew just how therapeutic learning how to play the guitar could be. The feeling of personal growth. Seeing myself get better makes me feel good about myself and excited to keep doing it. It also makes me feel like I’m keeping my word to her.
If this all plays out I intend on one day taking my guitar to her grave and playing our song. I’m not a big fan of Eric Church but “Sinners Like Me” was the song we would always sing to on a drunk.
Hopefully my introduction wasn’t super depressing. It’s just the milestone that brought me here.
Hey Ken, great to hear from you. Always enjoy hearing the different paths that bring people to play the guitar. Sorry to hear of the loss of your cousin, sounds to me a great tribute if you learn the guitar from that tragedy. Guitar playing is certainly good for one’s soul and peace of mind.
Thanks for sharing your story and by all means welcome to our Community.
our triggers, our stories, our drivers, our challenges…they are all different and yet we all meet here …your story is just as justified as any other and I think there is a lot in there for you to use.
I wrote or played my best stuff being sad or angry… every crisis is an opportunity!
Love to hear where this journey is taking you later on.
In the meantime, share your progress and ask away!
Hi Ken,
The most beautiful flowers grow along the edge of the canyon…
and as time went on… you are still so young so all the time for you to become a good guitarist as possible…I wish you a lot of fun during this trip
Greetings,Rogier
Hi Ken,
that’s both a sad and beautiful reason to pick up the guitar. I hope it’ll help you with the grieve and personal growth you promised your cousin! I’m sure she would be proud of you
Welcome from another beginner on the amazing journey of learning the guitar!
Aäron
Welcome Kendan, my heart goes out to you for experience and what’s brought you here, but you’re here which is the most important thing. Wishing all the success with your learning and playing
Hi Kendan! You write beautifully and directly from the heart. Thank you for sharing your story with us. Your cousin must be very proud of you and the goals you have set for yourself because of the loss of your great friendship. I also find learning to play guitar to be very therapeutic. What could be more beautiful than making music, yes? Welcome to the community!
Sorry for your loss Ken, I’m of a similar age (31) and I have a similar story in that one of my best friends passed at the end of last year. I started guitar in January cause it’s something we tried together as teenagers that neither of us stuck to. I thought about what he never got to do and what I still want to do and ~8 months later here I am still playing daily.
That’s all to say that I know what you’re going through and how therapeutic the guitar can be. Looking forward to seeing you around the forum.
Hi Ken, not at all. A heartbreaking story, yes, thanks for sharing your thoughts with the community, but you made the best out of it! Folks in this community are really kind and empathic and interested in the person behind the avatar. It’s YOUR story and a part of your personality. Good to read, that at least something good came out of this tragedy. Enjoy learning and progressing!
Hi Ken, welcome to the community.
I admire your new outlook on life and commiserate on the sadness that brought you to it.
You’ve come to a warm and friendly place. Make yourself at home and enjoy. Richard
Thank you all for your kind words. Im sorry for the delay. I kind of stepped away from the community side of the forum after I posted it. The kind and supportive words means a lot to me.
I’m sorry to hear your going through a tough time but glad to see the guitar is providing a bridge to your wellness. Congratulations on losing that much weight!
Welcome, Ken! Wow, what a moving story I think you are honoring her memory well and I bet she would be very happy to see what you’re doing and how far you’ve come with guitar in such a short time. I am so glad that you’re here
…your story is just as justified as any other and I think there is a lot in there for you to use.
I think you are honoring her memory well and I bet she would be very happy to see what you’re doing and how far you’ve come with guitar in such a short time. I am so glad that you’re here 