The pain in my fingertips has begun to ease. Little by little, very gradually, it feels as though the fingers meant for playing guitar are returning to me.

Though, to be precise, it may not be a matter of “getting them back.” It feels closer to something like the very beginning — a kind of first encounter. And that sense of freshness is what makes me happiest. Missing notes is frustrating, but even that has become something I can quietly appreciate.

The guitar I ended up buying this time was an acoustic from Taylor, though for quite a while I had been considering a TransAcoustic guitar from Yamaha.

A TransAcoustic guitar has a built-in system that allows for layered sound — even when playing alone, you can build up multiple parts. I thought that kind of instrument might make it easier to explore arrangements without having to sit down in front of a computer.

But when I think about it now, that way of thinking feels a little strange.

In the end, it was based on the assumption of “for the sake of something.”

There’s nothing wrong with the instrument itself. But I think I wanted to step away, just a little, from that mindset of doing something “for the sake of something else.”

So I set aside functionality and convenience, and chose a guitar that would allow me to face the resonance itself.

Sounds that arise, without purpose, and then quietly fade.

For now, that feels like more than enough.