From being on hiatus for more than 10 years from playing music, I was able to continue playing music again early last year. Though, it took me a while to get my fingers back on track going up the fretboard of a guitar, it was a worthwhile journey.
I have decided to go on another long hiatus recently and have sold most of my gear. Yes, I have gotten rid of my guitars, pedals, amplifiers, etc. It was a difficult choice for me to do this since my passion for music has grown exponentially within only a little over a year. I was faced with a choice between two things I love the most in this world: My family and My music. For most people, it would have taken them several hours or even days to make the decision. I made it in just several minutes. Though, music is already a part of my being ... An appendage that I cannot live without.
When my friends from the music scene learned about this, they were aghast! Questions about why I decided to leave everything behind flooded my screen at the office. I could only tell them that I had no choice. I was really touched when a couple of them responded with a statement saying, 'It is a great loss to our community as well as the scene.' I asked why? I wasn't really a good guitar player. I just knew a lot of theory but my skills are still not that developed. They said that a real musician can make a lot of people listen to music. Specially the type of music they're not used to listening to. A real musician can influence the listener. I was told that even though I didn't really play music, I was still able to propagate it via other means. The organization that welcomed me with open arms became my surrogate family. Shred Manila is what they called it. Some very close friends of mine from that group said that 'I was the glue that held them together ...' that I did more for them in less than a year than any other people did since the birth of their group. That even though I was not good with my sword, I am the master swordsman that can do battle without one. My heart melted with these words. It seems I was able to reach out after all.
My decision to stop still stood its ground. It's better this way ... personally. And my friends are right about something, that I will still go back. I will still play. Maybe not soon, but in the future. I will definitely miss the jams, stories, lessons, and people. But they will no go anywhere. They will still be there when I return. As one of them said, 'when you return, you will be treated like the prodigal son.' Thank you to you my dear friends. You have made my journey fruitful. You have made me into a better musician ... a better person.
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