Originally Posted by
Big Joe
I am like MandoMan. I have had some incredible mandolins. But, life happens, and after 30 surgeries I found my doctors wanted to get paid more than I wanted to have a mandolin. Ok, that’s not quite true, but my medical costs exceeded every imaginable thing. Mandolins, and guitars, and banjos were just a part of what I had to give up to do what I have to do. The good news, at least to me is that I am 72 years old and still here. Necessity can alter one’s expectations and the hand I was dealt took the steam out of my engine. My wheelchair is far more important to me than any mandolin. The same with the doctors and hospitals. I had to learn years ago that as wonderful as musical instruments are, they are not the most important things. I’m not complaining. I have a couple instruments that keep me happy. They don’t stack up to Blondie, or Brutus, or Firewood, and not the Gilchrists I owned. I was very blessed to have those instruments and to play them. I was blessed to get to play a bunch of Lloyd Loar mandolins, but those I did not own. My purpose in this reply is to state we don’t know what anyone else goes through, and sometimes life gives us wonderful things, but it can just as easily and just as fast, take them from you. I’m happy to be alive and get to spend more time with my wife and kids and grandkids. That is worth way more than any musical instrument. My wife of over 52 years is worth much more to me than all the instruments I have owned put together. It’s wonderful getting to grow old with your best friend. So, don’t feel sorry for me, I certainly don’t. I am a truly blessed man. I pray you can know what things are most important without going through what some of us have. If that should befall your life, learn how great life is no matter what you have to give up to continue to live and share your life with those you love. Thank you.