Treating my own Alcoholism - A Simple Man - God, do I wish

For those of you who don't know, I am a most frustrated rock guitarist. I've tried hard, but I am rubbish. Over the years, I have put so much time and effort and love and enthusiasm into this forlorn task. I have to concede that I am just simply terrible at playing the guitar.

I first saw Lynyrd Skynyrd, in Manchester UK when I was eleven years old. They have been a constant in my life ever since.

I have posted a link to a simple song, that simply hits home for me. My dear old gran (she was called Edith, as was the first of her four daughters) used to sit me down, and tell me to slow down. From the age of about eleven, all I ever wanted was to be a surgeon. I've absolutely no idea why. I lived and breathed my dream. I was a boy possessed. But I got there. Very quickly actually. But at what cost?

My gran was very proud of all I achieved. But she was also very wise. All the time, she said things to me that are almost perfectly echoed in the Lynyrd Skynyrd song Simple Man, that I have posted here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHQ_aTjXObs

She just wanted me to slow down, enjoy where I was right then, and to be happy with who, what and where I was. But I never was. That damned hill was always there. The next big thing for me to do. I became a visiting Professor of Surgery, and had written a proper major textbook by the time I was 29 years old. But at what cost ultimately.

To paraphrase Gordon Gekko - simple is good. simple works.

I once told Julie that I thought that I was a simple man. She's still laughing!

I wish to God that I had listened to my gran more.

Take care you lot.

Pip
xx