When the pandemic first hit, I wasn’t that devastated. I obviously was scared for the world, but I wasn’t too upset about staying home. As it was said to me, the world just kind of got on my level. I pretty much never do anything anyway.

So, for the first few weeks, I was pretty great. I started going on walks, I was coloring, I was playing the piano. I was excited to be doing fun things with my time. I even met a hot cop who turned out to be an ass, but that was also fun while it lasted.

Then one day like a light in the sky, I saw a post advertising free guitar lessons. I was so excited to jump on this offer.

A little context: I love music and even have a music degree. I’ve also had a guitar under my bed for three years. I tried playing him when I got him – yes, he is a boy – but it was too difficult for me. So, I figured that now was my golden opportunity to learn. 

I reached out to the man offering lessons. He resides in a faraway land called New Zealand, but believe it or not, it wasn’t too difficult to set up a time to chat. Thank God for technology, especially for video chatting. That is how we managed to communicate and how I was able to effectively learn while being separated by many oceans. Though there is a crazy time difference between us, we still made it work.

Immediately, we picked a date and time for our lessons, I sent him a song I wanted help with, and we were off.

In the beginning, I couldn’t do anything. Everything I wanted to do was too difficult. The guitar was so hard. I couldn’t play the same simple chords that I could on my keyboard.

One thing about the guitar is that it actually hurts to play. Immediate gratification kind of goes out of the window when it comes to learning to play the guitar.

Week after week I kept going, and my guitar teacher was there all the way.

I remember complaining about chords and moving between them, and then one day, I was unmindfully playing a song on the guitar, and my teacher had a fit. He was freaking out and I was concerned.

It was at that moment when he pointed out that I was doing everything I used to complain about not being able to do, and I was finally doing it with ease, and most importantly, without complaining.

The little victories like that were so important to me. It really meant I was putting in the work and I enjoyed reaping the benefits.

The guitar has really been my saving grace through the pandemic. The fact that I have something to do that challenges me, occupies my time, and gives me so much excitement is such a blessing during a time when a lot of people would have killed for a similar opportunity.

I don’t take it for granted, nor do I take my teacher for granted. He has been a light in a very dark tunnel for me. 

Every week I get excited to learn one or 10 new pieces, much to my teacher’s surprise, and present them on Sundays for him to critique.

He is very kind and very helpful, and I’m grateful for that. He has helped me reach so many musical goals and he always encourages me to sing.

Many, many months later, we are still at it. These two musical guys in my life are keeping me grounded through all of my stress due to schoolwork and crazy deadlines. 

I will always have music. That couldn’t ever be taken away from me. The blessing I received from my teacher will be cherished. I am forever grateful for him.

I am prepared to learn and attain new skills on this guitar-playing journey of mine.

Looks like my goal of becoming the next Beyonce is slowly coming to fruition.