As a child, my parents thought it would be a good idea for me to do something musical. So, I chose the trumpet. (I think I saw the instrument on TV somewhere.) I spent about five years going to trumpet lessons and at times pretending to practice so my mother wouldn’t nag me. Despite all my puckering in the mouthpiece, it just never sounded that good.
For many years, I’ve wished I’d learned to play the guitar as a kid instead. But there was an essential trap in my thinking. In my mind, deciding on something besides the guitar all those years ago was like a one-way door. Once I had gone through, I could never go back. The fact that I hadn’t learned guitar back then meant it would never happen. I could even think of all the reasons why: Kids learn to play instruments so much easier than adults, I could never hope to reach a high level of proficiency, I didn’t feel like I had time for lessons and practicing, and on and on from there.
