Last night the Taylor Guitar Road Show came through our town, so it gave me a chance to call up another fellow Taylor owner to go hear about their new instruments and fondle the higher prices ones that I could only afford in my dreams. I was reminded why I always wanted one of their guitars.

Bob Taylor was just a kid in school with an early interest in building a guitar in his shop class. That desire has never left him. But if you peel back the layers of the story, you begin to see that guitar making is only a platform for him to do so much more.

It was the guitar that provoked young Bob’s drive to innovate, to improve and solve problems associated with the craft. Building the instrument allowed a means for creative expression and artistry. As his skill and company grew, so did his opportunities.

Taylor has become something of a legend among the guitar world, and as the rep said last night, he is a genuine guy that has provided inspiration to so many. He is now leading the way in conservation and preservation of the natural resources that go into making his distinct instruments. It doesn’t stop with making a guitar, but continually embracing the many facets that surround it.

I find myself wondering what my life would look like had I gotten started in food at an early age like Bob did, but therein lies the myth I think so many of us are lured into believing. I may not be the chef I am today without the experiences that led me to this point. Who’s to say that if I went to culinary school that my food would be any better? Maybe I would be getting out of the business instead of finding my unique place within it.

I count myself fortunate that I have a job that looks toward a blue sky.