Dear readers,
i write you a recommendation not of a specific brand or a style. in fact, i write not of material possessions. what i write about is not a purchase in and of itself. i write to you not something i bought but was given to me. i tell you now of symbolism; but above all else -- love.
being but a humble musician, i have matching aspirations. i don't expect to be famous. i never hope to be rich. i don't have much to offer you except my time, and i don't believe my time is even my own. i can sing for you a song, but i'm not sinatra. i lived my life for my passion and my passion was my guitar. day in, day out, i practiced but -- not a smart man -- i didn't get much better.
i did what i could to get by and to get by i taught children to play. i used those funds to buy food, the funds i got from waiting went to the rent. as simple as it was, i loved life.
one afternoon i was teaching a hopelessly uncoordinated boy. i nearly told him to give up; then his sister came to pick him up. never again would i see the light of day as bright or the cherry trees as radiant as the love of my life came twice a week to pick up her brother. the only thing i could do was stop charging her brother for lessons and hope she would notice.
it wasn't hard to engage her in conversation. we even regularly discussed the endless marvels of our everyday lives. to my dismay, she would nearly be engaged to a wealthy business owner. my impoverished heart broke. it was obvious she was attracted to the security of such a man.
never before have i so feverishly tried to raise funds through lessons and odd jobs. a true renaissance man i had never had time for college. i would have had to give up my guitar for studies. intrinsically, i may never have time for a family. somehow i got it in my mind that if i could buy her a ring, she would marry me anyway. problem was, i couldn't afford it no matter how hard i tried. i took on as many lessons as i could, i tried to advertise wedding music, i played in street corners, and i even tried selling independently released CDs. it was hopeless.
i told my best friend my problem. he told me something i'll never forget, "Ike... why do you want to engage this girl when you're married to your guitar?"
i sold my guitar, i got all i could out of the worn instrument. then i bought her a ring with the proceeds. it wasn't fancy but it was all i could bear to spend. she understood what sacrifice i made for her sake. i fully recognize the sacrifices she made for me. she could have picked security through wealth, but she picked me and my humble love. i gave up what i could not keep to gain a love that i couldn't lose. and i'd do it a thousand times over. she and i were married seven months later.
for those of you who read this, when you make a purchase, please try not to think of how much you love it -- try to think about how much it will bless those whom you love. my most precious investment was the investment in my soul mate, and i will never take it back. (for the record, if wonder of wonders i end up with the bag- it goes to her.)