I truly believe that my purpose on earth is to share love with as many people as I'm able to, whether I'm just in the right place at the right time or if I received a call from someone who needed a friend to lean on for an hour at three in the morning. I was able to do all of this while pursuing something I loved, music. I spent majority of my late teen and early adult years on stage, in the studio or surrounded by music in other ways. I loved being able to share my thoughts about certain issues that affected my life, and the lives of those around me, through the lyrics I wrote and the message that I was able to share on stage.

I started a band in 2010 called To Move an Ocean, a metal band based out of Virginia Beach, Virginia. After three years of pursuing a career as a touring musician the band called it quits. I knew I wanted to be back on stage but I was very discouraged that I had put so much time and effort into a dream that didn't pay off in the end. About a month after the band broke up I received a DM on twitter and was asked to try out for a new band by a group of guys I had never met before. I was very hesitant but I met up with the band, tried out and decided to get back on stage again.

In 2013, I joined a metal band called Silence the Assembly, based out of Norfolk, Virginia, with a group of guys that shared the same mindset as I did; to share love and hope with as many people as we could whether on stage or off.

I had the opportunity to come in contact with a lot of amazing people that had previously or currently been struggling with self-harm, self-worth or suicidal thoughts. I truly loved talking with and being there for people, and reminding them daily that they have a purpose and are worth more than anything in this world.

During the recording of our E.P "Reconstruction" I had started tracking vocals to the record and had recorded two or three songs when I left the studio to go home for a day before coming back to finish. I had all the lyrics written to the record except for one--I had no idea what I was going to write the last song about. I had already touched on questioning faith, addiction and losing a loved one, but I had no idea what else to write about.

That night I was at Best Buy window shopping because, for those of you who know anything about a band starting out, you have very little money. I received a call from our guitarist Brandon who had explained to me that someone very close to him had tried to overdose on pills and end their life.

I couldn't believe it. As I stood in the music section of Best Buy I started to shed a few tears. "I'm so sorry" were the only three words I knew how to say at that point. You don't realize the impact someone’s life has on you until it's threatened to be taken away.

I told Brandon that he should go home and take some time off from the band. "We need to finish this, be back here tomorrow so we can get this record done and out." Brandon said.

As I walked out of Best Buy and sat in my car that night I had so much on my heart and I was trying to find the words to say for this final song, I just started writing about the weight that was on my heart and how heavy it was at that very moment. "This world would never be the same without your beautiful face. I would never be the same if you were gone from here." I wrote the final song that night sitting in the Best Buy parking lot.

The next day I left my house and drove back to the studio to finish vocals. As I walked into the vocal booth it seemed as if the words just rolled right off my tongue while tracking the final song. On "Reconstruction" we wrote a song called "Your Purpose" that was written for those struggling with life and a pain that won't seem to disappear.

After I finished vocals Brandon pulled me aside and asked me if we could put something he had written in the song to close it out. I agreed, but I told him that I wanted him to record what he had written because it was from his heart. Brandon walked into the vocal booth as our producer, Will, and myself sat outside listening, we could hear the emotion that poured from his chest that day.

Every time I hear the song I can still hear that emotion, even four years later. "Your Purpose" closes the record with a very melodic guitar riff, and with the lyrics "Hope isn't found in pills, drugs, alcohol or in the barrel of a loaded gun. Hope is found in living your life knowing that each day is a gift and loving the people around you as if today is our last. Hope isn't a trend, it's the only thing we have."

"Reconstruction" was released in November of 2013 and we played a full year on that record cycle. Every time we would play "Your Purpose" I always had at least one person come up to me after our set and tell me that song changed their views about life. I don't even remember how the words came from my mouth to the paper when writing it, I just remember how the song felt to me after we had released it. That was one of the songs I had the privilege of being a part of that changed my life and my views of life.

Over the past seven years I've had the opportunity of speaking to a lot of people on social media, sitting behind the bands merch table and a few other ways. They all had different backgrounds but they all shared one thing in common: they had a story to share. I've been fortunate enough to have been able to share my story and listened to the stories of others. If there's one thing I've learned it's that life is so precious, and being knocked down in life doesn't mean you've lost the battle, you're being prepared for the victory.

If you’re reading this I want to remind you that you are never alone, I know life is tough but so are you. You are loved more than you’ll ever understand and despite what this world may say, there is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.

You are NOT a failure. You are NOT worthless. You ARE beautiful.

Keep Fighting.

Your Life Has Value.