Finding the Right Chord

A few years ago, I began playing the acoustic guitar again. I had literally not touched it since my college days which were many decades ago. It was the encouragement of my husband that prompted me to play again. We joined the band at our church and loved to learn and play some of the beautiful hymns at service.

Shortly after I found my rhythm again, I developed Parkinson’s and noticed how difficult it had become making and holding chords. My brain would easily remember the formation of the fingers on the fret, but my hand would simply not comply. If I dcould finally achieve the correct chord, my hand would soon tremor making the entire instrument shake. After trying to make my brain and hands find some sort of working arrangement, I finally hung up my guitar and said I no longer can play because of the Parkinson’s. I was sad, but thought sometimes reality hurts and best to just move on to other things.

This past week, I was motivated by my dear friend and fellow blogger, Debra, to try again. So after four years of not playing, I picked up my guitar and began to play it again. It feels strange to my fingers to seek out and land on the right chords. I have lost the wonderful calluses that develop on the finger tips so my hands are sore from pressing on the strings, but I don’t care because I am making music again.

I start with practicing the basic chords of G, A, E, D and C. Then I get brave and add some more: Am, Em, and D7. Wow, my brain is remembering. Now if I could only get my fingers to stay in formation long enough to strum, Ok, I got that part. Next, I try to add the chords together and find some sort of beat to actually play a song. I began with my go-to tune, “You Are My Sunshine.” The chords are coming to me and I fight each one with the will to control the tremors. I make it through one verse and the chorus. Phew, it took a lot of effort, both mentally and physically, to play such a simple song. But I did it and have gained some confidence to continue playing. As I have found with most things Parkinson’s, it is all about finding the right chord!