adults and children

About six weeks ago, I bought a bass guitar, and I’ve been teaching myself how to play by watching YouTube videos. I figured it was time for a blog update.

Well, I’m still a beginner, but I’ve figured out some basics like how to hold the guitar, how to pick the strings, and what the notes are for the song I wanted to learn how to play.

What’s interesting to me, though, is how much more often I practice than my kids do—or than I did as a kid playing the piano. I guess it’s simply because I want to learn how to play it.

I had an interesting discussion with a friend of mine about how adults and children learn. Her comments were along the lines that the stereotype is, “if you didn’t learn it as a kid, you can’t.” But really, that’s not true at all. As an adult, I know how to learn things. I’m not striving to go shred onstage at Coachella; I just want to competently be able to play a song. And then I’ll learn the next one.

If you’re wanting to learn something but have talked yourself out of it because someone told you it was too late, I’m here to say that it’s nonsense. Even if it’s figure skating or gymnastics. Sure, you may not become an Olympian (so few of us are), but as an adult, you know how to learn things. And if you really want to do it, I think you should.

As always, life is too short to not do the things you want to do.