Guitar

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I joined an after-school academy called School of Rock where I learned musical performance for guitar. I play reggae and funk, genres that rely on the use of a groove vibe created by having a tight group of musicians. Each player needs to have a shared dedication to their craft and be willing to connect with others. This sense of unity within a band is just as important, maybe more so, as having a good sense of timing. 

Before I started playing music, the qualities needed to become a musician didn’t come easily to me. In 2020, the year Covid began, I had just turned 13 years old. Around this time, I started having strong stomach pains that gave me migraines, tunnel vision, and even destroyed my sleep. I was at an all time low. Despite this, the doctors I saw all said they couldn’t find anything wrong. Since no one offered a solution or a magical pill to help ease the pain, I came up with a solution to help myself—meditation. 

At first, I tried the most simple meditation. I would just sit down with my eyes closed and control my breath. It helped. I was able to focus on just breathing, and it felt as if a massive wave from the ocean washed away my anxiety and pain. I felt euphoric. Once I discovered the power of simple meditation, I wanted to learn more. Meditation comes in hundreds of different forms, and the one that stood out for me was music. Music became a tool I could use to feel calm and to feel normal again. Just a few months earlier, I could not have imagined that something as simple as humming could be a form of healing meditation.

My love for learning goes beyond music, and English is arguably my favorite subject. I particularly enjoy stories from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The idea of the hero’s journey is so relatable, and maybe my experience has been a kind of hero’s journey. Heroes have a desire to overcome adversity and to fight for the greater good. They face challenges that test their resolve. While I do not consider myself a fabled hero like King Arthur, my experience reflects a personal hero’s journey. I was able to take the necessary risks to change my life and become a better person. I found my own magical power through meditation and music. 

Music has also brought structure to my life and taught me how important time management is in order to succeed. Like any creative discipline, mastering an instrument requires time and effort in order to reach a desired outcome. Through this journey, I learned resilience as well as many other invaluable life skills that helped to shape who I am.

I see many paths I can take in the next five or so years. I see myself studying marketing and owning a small business that I can franchise. Just as a band requires everyone to be in sync, running a successful business requires the same level of creative cooperation. I imagine creating a company where my colleagues and I work together to share a vision. While the journey may be difficult, I know that with focus and concentration I can realize my dreams.