It was about two years ago when I was standing on the stage with my family and friends. I looked at my brother and saw him hooking up his guitar to his amp. This moment is crystal clear because it was the first time I realized that I had made one of the best decisions of my life. My dad and brother have been playing guitar for over twelve years now. I never really got into the guitar. I liked to play the piano just like the rest of my siblings. I have been playing piano since I was four years old and it has always been a great passion of mine.  My family loves music and it has always been a great interest to all of us.

It was about three years ago when I overheard my dad talking to my brother. My dad told my brother that he wanted to get our piano teacher out to our house to jam. I remember thinking to myself, why can't I be apart of this. I loved music just as much as they did but just because I didn't play the guitar they weren't going to let me jam. Over that whole entire week I heard them picking out songs that they were going to play that weekend. They were both so excited and they couldn't wait for the weekend to come. I was sad and all I wanted was to be apart of the excitement.

It was that friday when my piano teacher was coming over to jam when my dad asked my brother if he wanted to go get food for them. My brother quickly agreed and I was becoming more and more jealous as the minutes went by. My brother got back from getting the food and they quickly sat down in the music room in my house and practiced before my piano teacher got there. I was sitting in my kitchen at the time and was just listening. They sounded so good from the kitchen and all I was wishing at that moment was that I knew how to play the guitar. That moment for me was like a kid wishing he knew how to ride a bike when all of his friends already knew how to.

My piano teacher showed up at our house at about 6:30. My brother, my dad, and I greeted him and they went straight to the music room. I followed them in and went straight to the couch. I watched as they set up and got ready and still had that thought in the back of my head of I wish I knew how to play the guitar. They started off the jam with the song, Let It Be by the Beatles. As they went on with their songs it only got better. They sounded amazing and my brother was nailing all of his solos. My brother is one of the greatest people and I look up to him. I remember that night that I wanted to be able to play the guitar just like him. I sat on that couch for three hours as they jammed thinking to myself, I have to learn how to play the guitar.

I didn't know how to tell my parents that I wanted to play the guitar. Many questions were going through my head at the time. I was wondering what would they say to me? Would they let me or would they tell me to wait until I was older? I waited a few weeks thinking of many ways to tell them that I wanted to play the guitar. It was about two weeks after the jam and I grabbed an acoustic guitar from the music room and went up to my room and looked up the music for Let it Be by the Beatles. I couldn't figure out how to set my fingers up on the strings and I was getting very frustrated. My dad walked into my room and asked what I was doing. I was froze for a second and I stuttered and said that I was attempting to play Let it Be. I could tell he was very confused and was wondering where I got this sudden interest to play the guitar. I told him how I watched them jam and that I wanted to be able to play the guitar too. He offered that he and my mom would talk about the possibility of me taking lessons.

For the next week I was so anxious waiting for my parents to get back to me. I wanted to know so badly if I would be able to get lessons. Everyday of that week I would attempt to play the guitar. I was not very successful and felt like chucking the guitar out the window. It was monday and that is when their guitar teacher comes. I was sitting in the kitchen for their whole entire lesson. I was listening to all of the different techniques the instructor was teaching them and was hoping that next week I would be able to start my first lesson. At the end of their lesson I overheard my dad ask his guitar teacher if he would have any room for me. Their guitar teacher responded saying he could make time and start next week.

I got so excited but I didn't want my parents to know that I had heard about the news. It was later that night when my dad came up to me and said he had good news. I was trying to act like I had no idea what the news was going to be about. My dad explained to me that I would be able to take  lessons next week. I was so excited and I could tell that he was very excited for me. It felt like it took years until the day of my first lesson came.
Ever since the first day I picked up the guitar I have been sure it was one of the best decisions of my life. When I play the guitar all of my worries leave and I feel freedom. Playing the guitar is one of my favorite things to do. When I am playing the guitar I don't really care what people think of me or what I am playing. The guitar lets me get my mind off of things and always gives me something to do.

Over the past two years I have received an opportunity to play at a family fundraiser out at our family farm. Everytime I get on that stage I just think to myself what a great opportunity this is and I am so glad that I have decided to play the guitar. If I had not picked up a guitar I would still be sitting in my room jealous of my brother and dad.