Placed away............for years.............

my fingers taken up with a needle and thimble, 

my hands busy with chickens and gardening,

my guitars have waited in the quite dark..........

untouched.........unheard.

That all changed the other night when this almost 80 year old

set of hands brought one of my guitars back into the light

and woke up it's strings.

There is a line of musical talent that runs along in 

my family tree........not worldly known......

only known to family..........and friends.

Aunts, uncles, and grandparents........playing and singing.

I bought my first guitar at the age of 14 .........

dreamed of being as good as John Denver

and dreamed of going to Nashville.

While in college......I joined a singing group and

bought a guitar, which took me 8 weeks to slowly pay off...........

Didn't go to Nashville......... instead, 

became a "wedding singer"..........

and then turned into a "lullabye singer"

and eventually put my dreams and guitars

far away on the back shelf.

Later my dear aunt gave me my late uncle's guitar

which I played.......but also placed away.

It has been years since I have seen my aunt Fern.

While visiting, this week, she asked if I still had the old guitar.

I dug it out of it's dark place...........a bit ashamed at 

how ragged and worn the case was ........

and handed the dusty instrument over to the 

aged, talented hands.........that has played along

with bluegrass and country pickers.

As a mother would straighten her child's hair and brush lint off of his clothes,

my aunt gently wiped down the guitar and tuned it's strings. 

Wonderful old forgotten songs sprang forth

from those aged fingers that strummed and picked.

The next day.........our home was filled with the 

sound of those well loved hymns from our old piano, 

by that same pair of aged, talented hands.

What a blessing and what a sense of joy she brought to 

our home!

My aunt inspired me not only  to pick up and peck out 

a note or two..........someday perhaps.

She taught me most to not completely forget 

the other things that I love to do, even if life has swayed

me to another path.  

There is joy in everything  that we try to accomplish.

Now, I have found  a new place instead of a dark closet

for these guitars to rest.......

ready for someone to pick them up and 

fill the house with music once again.