Opinion By J1 Reporter Tomi Huber

The tips of my fingers throbbed as they fumbled across the strings of my best friend Chloe’s guitar, Light. It was a beautiful summer day in Blair, Neb. and we sat at the top of a hill in her backyard. It took us awhile to figure out what song I could actually learn on guitar, knowing that I had never played before. At the time, I was in love with Pink Floyd so I suggested learning one of their songs. Chloe automatically thought of a song and began teaching me “Comfortably Numb.”

As I sat there, I felt comfortable as if I had been playing for years. She looked at me with surprise as I quickly formed the chords that weren’t considered beginner chords. It took about 30 minutes to learn the whole song and play it all the way through. I was so excited that when I went home that day, I pulled out my brothers old and out of tune guitar and played for my mom. I used that guitar for a few months, but I realized I needed to get one of my own.

I got my first guitar when I was in seventh grade. I named it Bugg because of the first song I taught myself on guitar, “I’ve Seen It All” by Jake Bugg. When Chloe and I got together we played songs by The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s for hours on end. Now, four years later, Chloe and I go to lessons with our guitar teacher, Bob, every Wednesday night.

Playing guitar is something that brings me peace and happiness because it’s something I can do alone or in a room full of people. Most of my favorite memories are of me singing and playing guitar with my friends because there is nothing but us and the music. If you want to try something new and expand your horizons, do it. We only have one life and we should take advantage of it. I took advantage of it the day I picked up that guitar.