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About once every 1 or 2 years, I whip out a small green disc case from my collection and watch some very old memories. This disc is a DVD of my senior recital, and those memories are of the days when I played violin.
Its always fun to watch the DVD for two reasons:

1) Watching something that you participate in allows you to remember and know all the ‘behind-the-scenes’ experiences involved. I chuckle everytime the DVD gets to the part where my G-string snaps ( ) in the middle of the recital. Its funny because I remember totally freaking out in my head while remaining calm and cool on the outside: “Uh.. technical difficulties people, one second.” Having intimate knowledge of everything involved lets you really appreciate all the aspects of it and connect with it more. Its kind of like how you tend to like bands more if you’ve been to one of their concerts (because, you were there when they sang that song!).

2) This reminds me of a YG retreat where the speaker warned us about “peaking too early.” For him, he was talking about peaking at basketball in 8th grade where he banked a game-winning buzzer-beater shot, but subsequently sucking thereafter (asians tend to stop growing around that time, you get the idea). Well for me, my violin recital DVD is a snapshot of my peak. I watch myself play and I think, “I will never, ever be that good ever again, forever.” I wasn’t even that good, but I was definitely at the level where you could consider it as a peak.

This brings me to my actual point. Sometimes nostalgia is good, remembering old times and feeling that bitter sweetness of not being able to do those things anymore from your youth. But sometimes, you should try it again, for old times sake. Thats why I bought an electric violin. Its cheap, and definitely not nearly as good as my actual violin at home, but its convenient. I can practice it in my room without disturbing the neighbors and i dont have to worry about it breaking if I drop it. Pics of the neat design below: