The sounds of instruments swelling and dissipating in a second-grade classroom. Inside the classroom was a young child being introduced to the sounds of something never heard before. That kid was me, igniting a passion that hasn’t left since I acquired it. I started playing the piano and percussion at age eight to ten, and while not practicing for a recital or concert, I would create my own sounds which at the time sounded okay. Creating my own sounds took over my practicing and I realized this is the joy I find in instruments. At this time, I thought I was going to continue playing and playing but, it wouldn’t last long.
In sixth grade, my mother was re-diagnosed with breast cancer, this threw me into a depression for many years. I had lost all my desire to even play instruments when this happened but something in me wanted to keep going. It wasn’t till eighth grade where I found a new way back into music. I remember listening to Take Me to Church by Hozier and wondering how good it would sound if I sang it. At that moment I wasn’t sure how I would sound but there were a couple songs I figured out I was good at doing. Quickly I started singing to songs all the time, even trying to perfectly time things, hit certain notes, and trying new genres of music. This would come with some pain as people didn’t think I sounded good which I agreed with them because I was a baby voiced kid at the time. I knew if I kept at it, I would grow more and more into something I’d be willing to share.
Since then, I have done it most days of my life and have recorded most of it on my phone. I have become more secure in my vocal ability and have shared my abilities to groups of people. Not giving up was the greatest thing to happen to me since playing instruments. I was able to home in on the craft I wanted to make and use my perseverance in other aspects of my life. It helped me get better grades, bond with new people, realize my love of life, and most importantly expanded the way I see things. If my drive to succeed in something hadn’t been there, I would have given up, but I saw what the gift of strength could do from my mom. This story is important to me because I believe that everyone can do something amazing, it’s just a matter of ourselves and how we go about doing so. The echoes of symphonies swell and fade, yet their essence endures eternally.
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