What's the best feeling in the world? Some say it's coming off a close win over a great sports team. Others would claim it to be accomplishing a difficult task. To me, it's a no brainer. There's nothing better than picking up my jet black guitar and pouring out all my emotions. You can pour any emotion into a guitar, whether it be anger or frustration, but you always get the same result; a pleasing, melodic sound that could spread a happy crescent over the grumpiest old man's face.

I first begged my parents for a guitar during the Christmas season of 2006, and they forced me to promise I would practice enough to make it worth their valuable time and money. I was a little unsure if a guitar would keep my interest that long, but I was so excited I agreed anyway.

Finally, that faithful Christmas morning came. I woke up earlier than everyone else and snuck downstairs to take a peek. But when I saw the size of every present, my Christmas spirit quickly plummeted. Determined, I savagely ripped through each and every gift anyway. Disappointment was all I found. I started to mope around the whole house until my dad, holding back a huge smile, finally confessed.

'Hey Jake, did you check the closet?'\

He creaked open the door and I couldn't believe what I saw! Standing there was this beautiful, solid black Gibson Les Paul, shining brighter than God's holy chorus!

Ever since then, the majority of my time has flown by while letting my fingers fly across the solid oak fret board. The rough, grinding distortion, the clean, sweet sound of clean, I can't dream of anything better. Over and over again I train my now nimble, chaliced fingers to do exactly what I command them, and I beat each string mercilessly with my sturdy plastic pick.

Guitar has done wonders in my life. I feel powerful and unstoppable when I turn on my distortion. I feel sweet and smooth when I turn my amp on clean. But the best feeling of all is nailing a difficult solo. Guitar has made me proud to be me, and that has opened countless doors in my life.

Almost everybody on God's green Earth has a hobby, but for me, guitar is not a hobby. A hobby is more an activity you do to eat up time that doesn't completely bore you. Guitar is more a passion. Life is unbearable without the things that get you through each and everyday, and my Gibson has done so much more than that for me. I let it consume all my time and energy, and everyday my only regret is not discovering the secret to happiness sooner.