Life Of A Guitar
Every sentient being - living or non living - has emotions, find out how Rishona lives the life of a Guitar.
The guitar shop is one of the most delightful places for me. I feel the calmest and most composed here than anywhere else. The shop is my happy place. The fragrance of the guitars’ wood and the lavender incense that fills the shop gives me a unique feeling that makes me feel like I should never leave, and luckily, I don’t think I ever will.
Every day in the shop is the same, yet I never get bored. Though I don’t interact with other guitars, I have never once felt as if I were alone, perhaps because books of all sorts constantly surround me. The shop owner knows I adore reading books, so she lends me a novel to read each week. If there’s anyone I talk to, it would most definitely be the owner. A quite heartwarming and charming person indeed!
My fellow guitar players often wonder how lonely I must be, but being alone isn’t lonely, and not when one has books by one’s side. I have always wondered how I came to where I belonged, not as a human (they’re too complicated!) or an animal (I have no interest in being eaten), but as a guitar, the most peaceful and humble thing.
As I write today, I see a young girl enter the shop. Few customers come by these days since people have started forgetting the power of music and would much rather listen to it than play it. I was surprised when I saw a youngster with such passionate eyes enter the shop. I couldn’t help but look at her and see which guitar she would choose.
After a few minutes of observing her, I drifted back to my world but was woken up by the sound of music. The girl was playing me! This could only mean one thing: she wanted to buy me, and I would have to leave my happy place. Soon, my suspicions proved correct, and I knew I was being taken away. Oh, how miserable life can be!
On the journey to my new home, I drifted back to sleep but was awakened by a jerk and realised it was time. Though I love being a guitar, I dislike not having legs, as they would be pretty helpful in times like this. It’s surprising how envious I feel of humans right now. It was hard to believe I was here, away from the shop, in a strange place with who knows how many books. I finally realise how hurt and confused Dorothy must have felt in The Wizard Of Oz. I felt like turning back, but I knew I had to face these terrible times eventually.
The girl delicately took me out of the car seat and to her room. Her house was modest and beautiful, but her room was mesmerising. It was minimalist yet so aesthetic and captivating. Knowing I would be kept in a place like this made me feel better. She placed me on a guitar stand. It was pretty comfortable and, more importantly, a flattering gesture.
Take my advice: If you have a guitar, you better know how to treat it well. Nothing is more dangerous than an upset guitar. The unique thing about guitars is that you can't hear them talk, but if you listen closely and have a passionate mind for music and extraordinary dedication, then you can feel us and hear our thoughts.
It had been a long time since someone had played me, so it hurt a little initially, but it got better. In the midst of this, I noticed that the girl had a unique collection of books. It had many that I hadn’t read before. I urged to grab one and start reading, but how could I? The girl couldn’t understand me. At that very moment, the girl grabbed a book, wrote a note, kept it in front of me and left. Could she know me? Or was she one of those queer people who devoted their life to mind-reading guitars? I read the note and much to my surprise, it said: “I can understand you”.
Let me be honest: knowing someone can hear your thoughts isn’t the most comforting thing. It’s creepy and absurd. I instantly regretted coming here, but how could I leave this exquisite collection of books? Despite having a lot on my mind, I continued reading the book she handed me. After a while, she passed me a few notes telling me about books she had read, some of which were my favourites! We talked about books and music for hours, and I had never felt so alive. Perhaps coming here wasn’t so bad.
Through this experience, I realized that change is constant. It’s always hard to adjust to a new beginning, but every cloud has a silver lining, and each place has its good sides. The good sides are what one needs to focus on.
Rishona Chopra
Grade VIII-B, Gyanshree School
School Captain at My Good School
First published at My Good School on the Joy Of Learning Blog:
https://www.joyoflearningdiaries.com/2024/06/life-of-guitar-rishona-chopra.html