I hope this message finds you safe and in contact with your friends, and I hope you have been finding time to play some music.

I write these letters because I have a persistent feeling that we are here for a reason and that we have things to do that are worth doing. And that these things have something to do with music.

I’ve spent most of my life chasing musical dreams through hard times and good times and I don’t regret it.

I believe that music is a gift that anyone can give themselves and others if they are willing to take the time and effort to learn the basics and then go for it.

I ran across a quote this morning in my reading: “Happiness is absorption” – T. E. Lawrence.

I have a friend who bought a ukulele at a flea market that had this quote painted on it:

“Music self-played is happiness self-made.”

The effort to learn music can be absorbing. When you use your conscious mind to focus on learning music you can unlock surprising levels of energy and enthusiasm.

“The word “enthusiasm” comes from the Greek word “entheos” which means the God within. And the happiest, most interesting people are those who have found the secret of maintaining their enthusiasm, that God within.”

–   Earl Nightingale

Like a runner pushing through fatigue to catch a second wind, you can push a music session beyond impatience and frustration and into absorption.

I’ve done this with long sessions and also with persistent short attempts scattered throughout the day at some particular riff, tune, scale…

Part of the exhilaration you get when your music comes to life for you in this way is the knowing that YOU created this breakthrough.

That you can rise up to a higher, more powerful, more authentic version of you through your own efforts and that you can do this any time you want to.

You don’t have to wait for outside forces to come to your rescue.

You can develop the capacity to draw on ever present sources of energy and inspiration through your music practice and then use this transferrable metaphysical skill in any area of your life.

In my experience, this process works more often than not, and it helps to have a sense of humor when it doesn’t. Take a break and try again later.

In the long run, it pays off and just keeps getting better and better…