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'Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except the best' ' Henry Van Dyke.

Good one, Henry. Are you afraid of sounding bad? Scared that someone might criticize your lack of talent? Worried what 'other people' will say about you?

If so, give yourself a slap around the head and, as my mother would say to me when I did something stupid, 'wake up to yourself!'

Who are these 'other people' anyway? And why is it that people live their lives caring about what 'other people' think.

Can you imagine being a bird sitting up a tree and not singing because you thought the sparrow in the next tree would laugh, or tell the 'other birds' how bad a chirper you were.

It doesn't matter how good or bad you are as long as your are trying.

You can only improve with time. Time is going to pass anyway, no matter how you choose to use it. You can sit there and do nothing or you can improve your talents.

Who cares if you sound bad at the moment. Every guitar player at one time or another sounded terrible. In a years time you will be one year older, that's for sure. But will you be a better musician?

And as for those 'other people', forget them and live your life to the fullest.