The Unexpected Peace of Bringing a Guitar to Baseball Games
The Unexpected Peace of Bringing a Guitar to Baseball Games
A reflection on bringing a classical guitar to youth baseball games, finding peace outdoors, connecting with people, and learning to slow down between innings.
The Unexpected Peace of Bringing a Guitar to Baseball Games
I’ve been bringing my classical guitar to my son’s baseball games lately.
Not to perform.
Not to impress anybody.
Just to sit outside on a blanket down the left field line and slowly work on a passage between innings.
And honestly, it has changed the entire experience for me.
For years, youth sports weekends could sometimes feel like something to survive. Long days. Folding chairs. Heat. Constant motion. A lot of waiting.
But now?
I sit in the grass with a guitar in my lap listening to birds, kids talking on the field, the crack of the bat, and nylon strings ringing softly in the air.
And somehow the whole thing slowed down.
Why Playing Guitar Outside Feels Different
There’s something about playing guitar outside that changes music.
The sound blends into the environment instead of overpowering it.
Wind through the trees. Parents clapping after a hit. Kids chirping each other in the dugout. And one teammate encouraging another between pitches:
“C’mon kid, keep fighting.”
And somewhere in between all of it, a simple melody floating through the air.
It feels human in a way modern life often doesn’t.
I think that’s part of why I’ve connected so deeply with classical guitar lately, especially the simpler Ferdinando Carulli etudes my teacher has me working on.
Ironically, the more rhythmic flamenco pieces haven’t connected with me nearly as much.
And that realization taught me something important about myself.
Why Simple Music Connects More Than Flashy Technique
Even when I was a drummer growing up, speed and technical mastery alone never really impressed me.
I never loved drum solos just because they were fast.
My favorite drum solo was always Toad by Ginger Baker.
Not because it was flashy.
Because it told a story.
At times it almost sounded like two drummers having a conversation with each other. The kick drum answering the snare. Tension building and releasing. Space. Personality. Feel.
That’s the kind of music I’ve always loved.
The same reason I’m drawn to artists like J.J. Cale and early Dire Straits.
There’s restraint in that music.
Confidence without showing off.
Groove without trying too hard.
As I get older, I think I’m realizing I don’t really care about music that makes me say:
“Wow, that’s impressive.”
I care about music that makes me feel calmer, more present, and more connected to life around me.
Bringing a Guitar to Kids Baseball Games Changed the Experience
One of my favorite moments happened recently when a kid walked over and said:
“I like the sound of it.”
That was it.
No analysis.
No judgment.
Just honesty.
And honestly, that felt more meaningful than almost any compliment a musician could get.
Because at the end of the day, that’s what music is supposed to do.
Make the world feel a little warmer for a moment.
The funny thing is I originally brought the guitar for myself. I thought it would help pass the time.
Instead, it transformed the time.
It slowed me down.
Made the weekends restorative.
Started conversations with people.
Connected me more deeply to the games, the environment, and the moment itself.
There’s also a parenting lesson buried in this somewhere. Kids notice what adults value. They notice when you’re constantly distracted, but they also notice when you’re fully present doing something creative and peaceful.
I think there’s real value in kids seeing adults do things that aren’t tied to money, screens, or productivity. Just learning something slowly because it brings joy and peace into life.
In some ways, it connects to the idea of letting kids be bored and discover creativity. Not every empty moment needs to be filled with stimulation. Sometimes the best things grow out of quiet space, curiosity, and time.
Learning Guitar at 48 and Finding What Feels Right
There’s a temptation as an adult learner to constantly judge yourself:
Am I improving fast enough?
Am I practicing enough?
Should I be more advanced by now?
But sitting outside with a guitar while kids play baseball nearby has reminded me of something simpler:
Some things are worth doing because they feel right.
Most youth baseball players don’t struggle with talent. They struggle with awareness. Here’s how we teach kids to read the situation, think for themselves, and make the right play in real time.
A cold, wet game. A 2–0 count. And a first home run over the fence. A simple story about youth sports, goal setting, and how hard work pays off for kids.
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