Music is good medicine.
My musical medicine of choice is the UKULELE! No matter what is going on in life, the sound of an ukulele brings me happiness. The ukulele brings people together, it’s easy to play and while playing your brain gets a nice little vacation. You can take an ukulele anywhere. It really is the perfect traveling instrument. You can bring it as a carry-on rather than having to pay for a checked bag….just that alone makes me happy!
I learned to play the ukulele a few years ago because my Dad was learning to play and was having some difficulties. He joined a “beginning group” to learn how to play, however the group had been together for a long time and they were not beginners. Needless to say, by Dad did not get off to the most encouraging start. So, I logged onto Amazon and bought an ukulele for $69 and the book Ukulele for Dummies. My Dad and I got together and taught ourselves how to play! We branched out and learned some songs on YouTube as well…there are tons of great YouTube videos out there to help you learn. And there are ukulele clubs all throughout the world where people come together and play. Have you ever heard 75+ ukuleles playing at one time? It’s FABULOUS! I was nervous the first time I went to the San Jose Ukulele Club, but I quickly realized that there were so many people playing nobody could hear any errors that I made. It’s so fun and freeing! I love it so much, and I always feel like I am getting a big dose of happiness every time I go. https://sanjoseukeclub.org/
Togetherness – I love how the ukulele brings people together. Whether you’ve held the instrument for five minutes or for 80 years, it doesn’t matter. As long as you can keep a beat you can play the ukulele. The ukulele is somewhat of an underdog instrument but that’s what makes it so beautiful!
Balance – Ukulele is medicine for my mental and physical balance. I try to play every day. It doesn’t always work out but if I’ve missed a day then I try to play a little bit longer the next day. It’s important to me. It helps me maintain my balance, it makes me happy, mentally centered, and physically grounded.
Ommmm –Ukulele is my meditation. There are times I found myself working on a certain finger-picking pattern over and over again, and I find myself losing time. The same thing happens to me when I paint. I’ve also noticed that when I play ukulele out in nature, animals come closer. In my own backyard, the dogs get so excited when I pick up my ukulele and head to The backyard. They all settle in like I’m going to tell a story… Even the bunnies come in close! I’ll bet Snow White played the ukulele!
Goodbye Ego – The ukulele erases your ego. No joke! Playing the ukulele is so much fun…you drop your ego like a hot potato! It’s just too much fun to carry the weight of your ego with you when you play. It’s freeing and liberating.
I am thankful for the medicine ukulele bring me. The medicine of
HAPPINESS and PEACE and ALOHA
