by Monica Raye
When I was eight years old, I was standing on a raft tied to a tree on the side of a lake. My step father was driving a boat and pulling a water skier. As he approached the shore to allow the skier off, he missed the raft by a foot. The loose ski rope somehow grabbed my arm and the next thing I knew, I was in the water yelling can’t move my arm!
I spent three weeks in the hospital with a broken collar bone and broken arm with nerve damage. To this day, part of my left arm is still numb and two fingers do not always cooperate when needed- my pinky and ring finger.
In my twenties, I really wanted to play guitar, so at age 24, my hubby bought me a guitar. I tried it but it was impossible! At age 50, it was suggested that I try the ukulele as it only had four strings. I got one from my son as a gift and I fell in love with it.
I started taking lessons on YouTube (Thanks Bernadette!) during the Covid lockdown and I found I could do most of the chords which made many songs easy. C G D F were easy chords but there was that dreaded E. My fingers would not cooperate.
It felt great to play and I was hooked…hooked really bad! Bernadette’s YouTube class was LIVE!! You could ask questions!!! It was absolutely perfect. I felt like I had won the ukulele lottery!! It blew me away when my comments were read out and my questions were answered.
Some songs I couldn’t finish because of that dreaded E. We started learning chord melodies. A turning point for me was when we practiced Pink Panther. It was then I noticed my E problem and the nerve damage in my hand was improving. I truly believe that placing my fingers in the position repeatedly and switching from chord to chord, stretched my tendons and developed muscles in my hand. There were days it hurt and I was uncomfortable but persistent practice provided improvement. My pinky still needs a bit more work. I keep hearing Bernadette saying pinky power… I must persist. I encourage everyone to push through and not to give up.
I really wish I was given ukulele lessons as a teenager. Learning the ukulele has definitely been a game changer for me.
If you have finger pain issues, try picking up the ukulele during commercials and strum a few chords. Get online and take Bernadette’s challenges and see if it works for you.
The best decision I have ever made was to join the ukulele community, Ukelandia.
Guitar lessons are a possibility now. Right Bernadette? I’m currently
looking for a smaller guitar.
You got to love the healing power of music!
Uku can do it!!