Hello my friends! I decided to make this blog more direct because I want to speak to you all on a personal level, instead of writing essays for you to read. Also, I meant to post this yesterday, but got caught up in talking to friends.

Growing up as a rather shy child, I didn’t like to socialize much unless it was with my family. I used to get in my mother’s car when she’d pick me up from school and I would blab about how my day went down to every word of every conversation I had. Most of my stories never had points to them. I just wanted to say what was on my mind since I never really had a best friend I could exchange gossip with. That friend was my mother. My other friend was singing. I first discovered that I could sing when I was in 2nd grade. I would sing everywhere, all the time. That year I decided that I was going to take a risk and try out for my school’s talent show. I practiced the song I was going to sing in my room hundreds of times. I went through practices all week until the show came around on what I remember was a Friday. This was my moment. I was shaking backstage; so much that I could’ve peed myself or thrown up or something. After my name and act had been announced, I walked onto the stage as the audience clapped. I stood in front of the microphone nervous as all hell. Never once in my life had I seen so many people staring at me all at once. The host asked the audience to rise, as I was about to sing the National Anthem. My backing track started and I took a breath and began, “Oh say can you see?…” I saw some adults grinning at me and I became more comfortable, yet still nervous all at the same time. It was the longest two minutes up to that point in my life. “…And the home of the brave…” The backing track stopped. There was a slight pause of silence, then the audience roared. It was an accomplishment I’ll never forget. That was the beginning of my love for performing, although I had always been in love with music. Looking back on it, I amaze myself at the thought that my tiny, skinny, blonde, modest self could belt out a song, a song that most adults have a hard time singing, to a crowd of hundreds with ease. I proceeded to play one of the lead roles in one of our school plays that same year, and for the talent shows in the years ahead I performed pieces on the piano that I taught myself. When I entered middle school, we were given a choice to take the art route, or the music route. I bet you could never guess what I chose. Since I felt I already knew how to sing, I wanted to try new things. I wanted to be well-rounded. After a tough decision, I joined orchestra as a violist. I was normally up in the first few chairs and it remained that way all the way throughout high school too. Since continuing to play viola, I have won music-related awards for my leadership and skill in my art and have performed at Disney World with my high school orchestra as well as the Kennedy Center with elites from all across the nation, and some internationally. I met the conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra and was even given a mute from one of the violists. Walking through the Hall of Nations every day to go to practice (as much as I hated it at the time) was a blessing. I have been very fortunate in the opportunities I’ve gained from my hard work and now as I look back at all that I’ve accomplished, it seems unreal. The shy little girl that was nervous to sing the National Anthem was performing at the Kennedy Center and belting opera in her high school musical in the spring of her senior year. My dreams were coming true because I worked for them. I chased them. And although I’m chasing one of my other dreams in college now, I still haven’t given up on my dream of performing. I’ve gained a world’s worth of confidence from sharing the stage. Even when I’m listening to music as I go to class, I look ahead instead of looking down to avoid the eye contact of those passing me. Music has made me unafraid. It amazing how a tune or certain lyrics can hit you so hard they could change you. Ever since I was a kid with a dream of singing to a sold out crowd on my world tour, I’ve been singing to myself in my mirror, dancing to improvised choreography, and speaking to an invisible mass of thousands between songs. Even though I’m a legal adult now, I’m still the same kid with the same dream, working my way through a mean world to live the same dream- this time to a visible mass of thousands.

That was still an essay. Sorry, I’ll work on the more personal aspect of writing to you all. Haha.

I will sing of your love and justice; to you, LORD, I will sing praise. – Psalm 101:1