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Age is an issue . . .
Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.
As a hospice volunteer I visit extended care facilities to sing with guitar in hand. This week I did a 30-minute set for a room full of folks much more senior than me. In fact, one lady is 103 (didn’t look a day over 90, LOL). Songs by Frank Sinatra (“Fly Me to the Moon”), Harry Chapin (“Cats in the Cradle’) were especially well received. However, the one that surprised me the most, John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, got the majority of them singing along. I even was able to repeat the chorus with just them singing it. Very cool. As I looked at them this quote came to mind: “A beautiful face will age, a perfect body will change, but a beautiful soul will always be a beautiful soul.”
Playing for such kind and appreciative souls has really blessed me and made me feel much more at ease performing for others. You should try it. It’s a win every time!
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19 Replies
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Country Music is 3 chords and the Truth. You just laid some truth on us. Thanks for your service to beautiful souls.
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I agree @albert_d John Prine tunes are also well received as they provide insight into life. Thanks for being out there.
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Three chords and the truth – Harlan Howard when describing country music.
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@Guitargeezer-Jack What a beautiful post. I love your selflessness and pure enjoyment you find in what your doing and how it touches the souls of others. Too often, the aging population is put in the back and forgotten or trodden over. They have such beautiful, childlike souls that are just looking for something to rejoice in.
I hope I have enough nerve to play for others at nursing homes or outdoors sometime. I tried to play for a friend in Chicago about a month ago, and I crawled into a hole and couldn’t do it.
This is the 2nd post this week that has really touched me and urged me to take some action to help others in some way.
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What a lovely reply @Loraine. Strange that I am still shy about playing in front of various family members including my wife!
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This is a journey, @Loraine . We all are traveling the same road, but at different spots and different speeds. You are moving along that road also. You have gotten much better at playing in front of others. And you will continue to learn and do better at playing in front of others. In fact, your progress has inspired me and many others many times. Your “grit” is inspiring Loraine. (Grit, The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth)
MG 😀
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Really nice post @N-lightMike . Thank you for your kind words and encouragement.
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You bet, @Loraine . I am definitely not alone when I say we love having you as part of this amazing guitar geek community. 😊
MG 😀
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That’s an awesome thing you’re doing @Guitargeezer-Jack 👏👏👏 Thank you for taking the time to help others 🙏
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It is said volunteerism is good for ones health. Shouldn’t squander any gifts we have.
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Kudos! Most excellent. Thanks for sharing.
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Hey Jack @Guitargeezer-Jack ,
I am impressed but not surprised. This is a wonderful place your guitar journey has gotten to. But, you were already in service to others in a number of ways, so it makes sense that you would combine your guitar with your service. What a beautiful thing.
I saw early on how hard you were working on your guitar skill and how fast you were making progress. You used your guitar skill to learn songs that would reach those a generation ahead of you. That, too, is a beautiful thing.
And now, we get to be inspired by your example of service… and you get such great joy out of all of it. That just heightens the inspiration.
Thanks for posting Jack. You have set a high bar for us to reach for. What a wonderful thing.
MG 😀
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Thank you, Mike. Good to hear from you.
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Thank you, Jack @Guitargeezer-Jack .
I agree it’s good to hear about you and what’s going on in your guitar journey.
I know our not staying in touch as much as we could have is on me. I haven’t spent much time in the TAC forum for a while. I have so many ways to spend my “musical” time anymore. I have continued to grow as a songwriter. That is like a career in itself. And of course, I have to practice and play those songs. And just in case that’s not enough, I do the TAC lesson trying to increase my guitar skills. And then, of course, I’m trying to learn harmonica, Navaho flute, and clarinet. Yeah, that’s a lot of hot air, but then I a big blow hard, so I can handle it. But it takes time. And then there’s the time spent trying to use and learn about all the tech side of today’s musical world.
But then, truthfully, I still spend way more time than I need to watching movies or useless YouTube videos.
Anyway, those are all the excuses I can think of at the moment. 😂
MG 😀
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Wow, you are so kind to go play for the residents. Your post brought back so many memories of my grandparents, parents and friends. Thank you..
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@Guitargeezer-Jack That is a Beautiful thing that you’re doing. Thankyou for being an inspiration to be kind and giving to others. 🙂
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Noticed you just joined us guitar geeks, welcome Patty! I hope you will find as much joy and satisfaction as I have following TAC over time. PS – the 10 minutes each day works (it ends up much longer once one picks up the guitar!) Keep playing.
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@Guitargeezer-Jack your an angel with a guitar. Wonderful gift you give. 😊👍😎
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thank you for sharing your gift of music with others !
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