Making Sweet Music Til The Ends

My wife and I went out with friends this past weekend. The husband and I share a similar musical background and our conversation bent its way towards gear - of course. It got me to thinking about my favorite guitar I ever owned, a '75 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe. As any gear aficionado will tell you it's not the top of the line. But what made that guitar great was the 30+ years of sweat and dirt steeped into that mahogany and oxidized electronics. You could just plug it in and stand there and it would emanate a hushed tone like the whisper of history.

It got me to thinking about mortality and progression. We've all heard in Japanese culture that elders are revered for their knowledge. In this country not so much. How come inanimate objects get fonder with the passage of time but not people? At least objects like musical instruments are continuously used and manipulated to constantly produce beautiful music. Am I continuously used? Am I engaging my brain in ways that make me valuable over time? So that I am discussed in hushed tones with the respect of a Stradivarious and the people around me become inspired to be all that they can.