Once, it was my passion

When I was 15, playing the guitar was the one and only thing that could make smile. I didn't have any other ambitions except for becoming a professional guitar player. Today, it's just one amongst many other things on my bucket list. The more choices and possibilities I have, the more confused I get. It's usually the other way around. As a kid, the world seems so big to you, but the older you get, the more your passions dwindle. But, I'm a special case. 


 

Endless possibilities in our lives deprive us from enjoying the present moment, the moment that counts. I always have this dream of going back to the past, to the childhood that was so innocent and pure.

A couple of weeks ago, the kids I teach playing the guitar performed in front of their parents for the end of the school year. Stage fright and anxiety abounded! Well, I just laughed. I hated performing in front of my parents and relatives as a kid, but today I really miss it. Before the performance started, they asked me a million absurd questions such as: “Should I bow before playing or after?” or “How long will this take? I can't miss the final of European Championship!” They drove me crazy. But still, I tried to encourage them and to calm them down. 

I saw myself in their big frightful eyes. Many of them wanted to sound perfect in front of their parents after months and months of practicing. Unfortunately, for many of them stage fright was the main reason for their poor performance. But, in general, it wasn't as bad as they thought it was. At the end of the performance, I gave them feedback and marks as motivation to play again next semester. I know many of them were not content with their grades, but what can I do? I'm a strict teacher. 

Playing the guitar is a passion for many of these kids. Once, it was my passion, my only passion. Today, I have some other priorities and desires. But, the moments when I played the guitar so passionately will always stay in my memory.