The tips of my fingers on my left hand are sore. I took out my guitar today for the first time in months. It’s one of the few times I’d taken it out of its case since sending its mangled carcass (read: the bridge had completely pulled up from the face) back to the factory for some tender loving craft*. The guitar came back two months later almost as new. My father and I opted not to restore the dings and bangs on the back of the guitar neck since removing all of its scars; that would be taking away the character it had developed over our lives.

I was inspired, of all things, by a Macy’s commercial on television. They had covered From Me to You by the Beatles. Anyone who knows me would be able to say — without hesitation — that they are my favorite musicians. From there I proceeded straight into my bedroom to unlatch the hardshell case and pull the old guitar from its home. After grabbing a pick, I walked back into the living room where I tuned her up and picked out the song.

After that I started noodling around all over the fretboard. I began to rediscover riffs and melodies, sketches really, of songs that I’d never completed. One riff in particular came back to me as if I’d never forgotten how to play it. I was able to craft it into a complete instrumental, with three separate guitar parts.

It’s the most beautiful piece of music I’ve created. It is the embodiment of everything good I’ve ever felt. The more I played the more things came out in me, which fed back into my own playing. I plan on recording it before the year ends.

I cannot wait for you to hear it.

* Tender Loving Craft — a play on the acronym TLC (Tender Loving Care) by the professors at the small Upstate New York art school where I studied. It emphasized crafting your artwork with particular attention to detail and quality of construction meant to withstand less-than-gentle handling. We don’t do things half-assed.