Another newbie/oldie taking lessons....

[short bald guy]

The background is....65...and have recently started taking lessons (accidentally) after starting to play in the 60's. I was self and relation (brother) and friend taught enough chords to play hundreds of songs thru the years. Have usually had a guitar around, and they have always been very nice guitars. No ego involved, but I can play the simple things quite well. I learned that to impress other people you ALWAYS play what you know well....And it works (though that may be a story for another time).
On with the story.....Got into a trade deal with a fellow up in my neck of the woods. A fly rod for a bicycle trade (and I have a few). The other fellow felt the bike I was wanting was not his, but his email indicated that he had put on a small concert for a bike shop and his pay was the bicycle. Of course I could not let this pass and ended up learning that he was A- pretty good professionally, and B- an instructor of some note. So I ended up taking lessons just so I could possibly get a bit of a different style going when I felt like it.
Well, what I learned is a bit more than what I bargained for. I really had no interest in learning most of what I am now learning, regardless of how that sounds :-). All those frets are actually useable! Beyond the first three or four that is. And not only that, I am able to figure out how to play chords that I have not seen. All this stuff fits together and opens up more possibilities than I could not have imagined. I don't know if my playing SOUNDS any better to others or not, but I am able to go back and dig up tunes that I never bothered with before and see that perhaps I might be able to play them now.....
I have always appreciated being able to play the music, for myself or for others (play out a bit), but thanks to taking formal lessons I see way beyond what I have been doing in the past. Seems like there is always something to learn in music. I now understand that there is a finite number of notes and chords, but the manner in which one can play them is almost limitless.
I am able to see that I am too old to change my manner of making a living, but not too old to change how much I enjoy playing music. I envy you folks that had better wisdom when you were younger, but I do not regret taking so long to get where i am. Too old for that. I see that there are two types of players to play with now. Those that will play WITH you, no matter what your skill level is, and those that simply want to demonstrate how much better they are. Those that play WITH you are, in a word, priceless. They just love to share what they love with you.
You are never too old to open your eyes to the world around you. A fellow that plays guitar taught me that.
If you have never taken the time for a lesson, consider doing so before it is too late.
Regardless, enjoy the music.

[Antipodean Ed]

Great story! I'm the same age, and it's a new guitar that has got me re-interested in developing my playing (see Custom Daniel Hoban Otway Mill in Custom Shop posts about 4 weeks ago). As my working career transitions into retirement, I think I should do the same as you and get some lessons - if I can find the right teacher. The other challenge is to find those right people who''ll play WITH you, as you said. I'm not having much luck so far - need to work at it harder.

It's great to see the enjoyment you are getting from music now, and hopefully I can follow in your tracks!