Rediscovering Joy Through the Ukulele
It was one of the happiest, most connected few minutes I have ever experienced. The feeling was akin to stepping into a warm, sun-drenched car on a chilly day. This moment of pure bliss came from singing with a group of women, accompanied by the cheerful strumming of a ukulele, which revived a deep-seated nourishment that only making music in harmony with others can provide.
A Chance Encounter That Changed Everything
My journey began unexpectedly at a ladies salon house-warming party, where guests were asked to bring an offering. While I arrived with a simple baked cake, unaware that the request was for a performance, another guest, actor and national treasure Justine Clarke, came prepared. She brought her ukulele and distributed handwritten chords and lyrics for the song Tonight You Belong To Me, famously performed by Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters in The Jerk.
Justine led our group of ten, teaching us harmonies and how to sing in rounds. The happy tone of the ukulele tinkled the melody, keeping us perfectly in tune. If I had been under medical examination at that moment, I am certain my oxytocin and serotonin levels would have skyrocketed. This was a sensation I had felt long ago but had not experienced for many years.
A Lifelong Passion for Music
As a teenager, music was my entire world. School lessons that were not focused on music felt like mere distractions from my time at the piano. Lunch breaks were spent in secluded music rooms, playing and singing through scores. At home, I would rush to the piano to play Carpenters classics or songs from Les Misérables. I thrived in singing lessons, choirs, and vocal groups, performing at weddings, funerals, aged care facilities, and local clubs.
After leaving school, I carried a Roland EP7 keyboard to every share house in Sydney and London, continuing to sing. However, at some point, I inexplicably stopped. Perhaps I doubted my talent or felt embarrassed that my musical tastes were not considered cool. I sold the keyboard, and music became a distant memory, only resurfacing in the shower or at school reunions.
Embracing the Ukulele as a New Hobby
The joyous experience with Justine and the ukulele rekindled that lost feeling of whole-hearted nourishment. Determined to have this connection regularly, I decided to learn the instrument myself. Starting with basic chords, my fingers ached, but with persistent practice, they toughened, and the chords became easier.
I enrolled in an online course titled Ukulele For Absolute Beginners, a program I actually completed despite my history of abandoning online courses. For fifteen days, I diligently sat with my ukulele, learning new skills and practicing nightly. Halfway through, I was eagerly anticipating each lesson, often needing a timer to limit my playing time. This tiny instrument, through strumming, fingerpicking, and 12-bar blues, brought a level of happiness comparable to having a new puppy or falling in love.
Spreading the Joy to Others
Now, among my friends, I have become an evangelist for the ukulele, much like Oprah was for diets in the 1990s. I invite them to join my monthly ukulele group and share links to affordable starter instruments that maintain good tune. My goal is to help others experience this happiness and light up their brains with music and new skills.
If you are seeking a spark of joy, I encourage you to give the ukulele a try. The happy tone of its strings might just illuminate your heart in ways you never imagined.
