My True Love

In this post-modern world where the timbre of our voices are being drowned out by the clicking
of keyboards from a myriad of social media devices, I am a proud to say that I am divergent
millennial who still loves to talk and have actual conversations. In fact, if you were to stop any of
my closest friends and ask them to name one trait that I possess, I can confidently affirm that
talkative would be among the top answers, being that my friends are usually interrupting a rant
of mine or telling me I talk too much. I could probably talk for hours about almost anything, but
for some reason when I sat down to write this essay I drew a blank. Ironic right? As I began to
think of the things I actually talk to my friends about for hours: celebrity news, election frenzy,
hair goals, and lifes woes, which usually are not even true distressing things or events, but we
stress over them nevertheless, I found that none of those were things that seemed to fit the focus
for this essay. I had to dig deeper. Of course! How could I forget- my love life!
My journey with my true love began about 15 years ago. I first met Music in church. Its melodic
sounds and harmonies soothed my ears and as I observed the spectrum of emotions that it evoked
on people, I was entranced. I believe that I was born with the gift to sing and so, Music and I
were a perfect match from the very start. At a young age I took piano lessons so that Music and I
could get to know each other better. As I grew older I sung solos in talent shows and performed
with ensembles at various other events. I also took voice lessons so that I could participate in
competitions, but all of this wasn't just a show. Music and I also spent much personal time
together. My first iPod goes down in my history books as one of the best gifts I've ever received.
I have deepened my relationship with Music very well over the course of my life and Music
knows me just as well. My love has been with me through many situations and life experiences.
For every moment in my life there is a song; a melody and rhythm, with lyrics or without that
speaks of me. You can tell a lot about a person by their music selection or favorite songs at that
time in their life. My music tells a story of a passionate, emotional young woman who strives to
live life to the fullest. It tells of pain and the faith that got me through. The diverse genres and
unique artists reflect my open mindedness and eager nature to learn about and experience new
things; but most importantly it tells of a journey through life filled with determination and
resilience. Music connects me to people by simply being itself. In fact one of qualities that I
admire most about Music is its power to bring people together. Its truly amazing to see people
from all walks of life come together at a concert or on a street corner and bond over songs. There
have been times that I have bonded with an individual who shares the same love for a song or
album as me, and in talking about it we realize that we have a similar experience or memory
attached to the piece of work. Emotions attached to and evoked by music is what brings
individuals together.
This relationship has yielded many learning experiences. Music has taught me focus and
discipline. I did not always feel like practicing or ensuring that I looked over my sheet music
before a lesson, but my love for the music and desire to perfect my craft pushed me forward.
Music is my place of solace that allows me to unwind and be vulnerable. The most important
thing that I have gained is to never forget to slow down and take time for myself. In doing this I
have increased my self-awareness, which in turn has strengthened my interactions with others in
many different settings and situations. Some of my favorite songs have also opened my eyes. For
example, Jessie J taught me "it's okay not to be okay" in her song Who You Are, a song that
encouraged me to fully embrace my emotions and know that I don't always have to be strong and
wear masks that dont fit me. Kirk Franklin's most recent album, Losing My Religion, taught me
that no mistake is too big or bad for God to embrace. The music literally spoke to me and helped
me to understand that my pain can either be my prison or my platform; its my choice. Jazz has
showed me not to put too much emphasis on words and to find the message in the melody. In
jazz, each instrument has its own identity in the form of sound but they all come together
sometimes clashing, clanging and squeaking, working within the tension of dissonance
contrasted with consonance; grabbing my ears to tell me a story. That's how life should be-
individuals, communities, nations and worlds with unique identities coming together to tell a
story and just as in jazz there will be time for individual praise, but that follows the amazing
sounds of them merging together.