I’ve learned to practice myself in little things —

This afternoon I’m loosening old strings until there’s no tension left, and with wire cutters cutting through all the strings one at a time, down near the sound hole.

Next I’m removing the tone pegs from the rear of the bridge where the string disappears into the body, and unwinding the strings from the tuning pegs.

I’m locking new strings in place now, trimming the low E, followed by the low D, then the treble strings as I go … inserting string in post, tuning string to pitch, wrapping down the posts … pushing the tone peg down into the hole, ensuring the groove is facing toward the headstock,  and pulling up on the ball end until it catches.

E A D G B E. My fingers begin to pluck single notes, random at first and then combined.

I’m plucking out the gallop of a new song now. It wafts through the house. A hover like grace appears.

And suddenly, little things … are big things. It’s the little things that seem to be saving me today.

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.”

– Luke 16:10