Bringing Music to Life

As a child, I took piano lessons for two years and loved it. I hated music theory though and remember falling asleep sitting on the piano bench with my teacher tapping my fingers with his pencil to wake me up.

While I am an avid music lover, I never pursued any other musical instrument.

I bought an acoustic guitar in my late 20s, but never got past the tinkering stage. Most recently, I sang for a year in an all women's barbershop choir (random I know), but never found my musical thing.

Years ago, I had asked my Mother to buy me a ukulele on one of her trips to Hawaii.

Soprano Ukulele

And it's awesome and cute, but again, I never fully committed to it.

As a Christmas gift to myself last year, I decided to invest in Ukulele lessons. I wanted someone to hold me accountable to practicing and progressing. I chose the ukulele cause I had one already and cause I liked the portability of this stringed instrument. Super easy to bring it with me wherever I want. Also it's one of those instruments that always makes me happy when I hear it.

I picked up the Ukulele Mom had got me and decided I wanted something a little bigger. After some research online, I learned that the size Ukulele Mom gave me was a Soprano and that there existed a Concert size and a Tenor size and even a Baritone size. Well, don't I go ahead and buy myself a Concert size and a Tenor size ukulele, one of each.

I started my lessons on the Soprano, but soon was eager for the other, larger ukuleles to arrive.

Soprano Ukulele (left) and Concert Ukulele (right)

I was not disappointed when the Concert Ukulele arrived. It is beautiful and I found it easier to play than the Soprano cause it fit me a bit better. Oh I was excited for the Tenor to arrive cause I just knew that I was going to love the sound!

Concert Ukulele (left) and Tenor Ukulele (right)

The Tenor ukulele arrived and I was in love! Her dark brown striping and deeper sound spoke to my soul. I named her Chocolate, and yes she's female.

And I invested in a hardy travel case, so I can bring my Tenor with me (if ever I'm bold enough to travel with her).

It's been two months now and I'm progressing nicely with my playing. I can play three songs so far. I'm trying to teach myself to sing at the same time and I seem to be able to do that ok, no accounting for my singing skills. It is not easy to do, but I'm thoroughly enjoying playing music and having something creative, lovely, and happy in my life.

I find that hours slip by as I play my Ukulele. I had told the kids that I was just going to practice for a little bit one Sunday afternoon and my son came up to me for what seemed a few minutes later and he said I'd been playing for two hours. It's that level of joy and engagement that I seemed to have tapped into.

I sometimes will play my ukulele in the mornings while I'm having my cup of tea and before the work day starts. It's just a wonder to have music in my life in this way and I'm incredibly grateful for it. It's like I found my rhythm and it's a bright light during this dark pandemic.