The Power of Availability

Availability’s Power to Destroy of Up-Build

He had a heavy German accent and seemed misplaced in the little Oklahoma town of Miami.  He was referred to me as a good guitar teacher.  I was a senior in high school, a fair musician, vocally, and it was time for me to take up the instrument.  My deceased father was a good guitarist and had left me a beautiful Gibson with a chrome, built-in acoustic amplifier.

But, I hadn’t reckoned on my busy schedule for that year, president of my church’s youth group, president of my senior class, working after school at my dad’s business and singing in a boy’s Gospel quartet.  But the man said he would find and make time for anyone who was willing to practice and really wanted to play.  He promised he would be available.

Then a call came from him to my dad’s business.  I received the message at least second hand. We would have to find a new time for my lessons, not the 8 a.m. time before I went to school—but he didn’t tell me when that new time would be.  So at 8 a.m. on the morning of my regular lesson, I knocked on his door.  He answered in his undershirt, trousers and shaving lather on his face.  I remembered his words, “I’ll make time for you.”  But he didn’t.  I left disappointed at his UNAVAILABILITY.  His parting words to me were, “keep practicing now.”  I didn’t and to this day, I can barely remember my first three chords.  Availability is a Godly and necessary quality.  Unavailability can be devastating.