Growing up, I was always told to do what makes me happy. What exactly that means? I could not tell anyone-that is, until my six-year old self sat down on my grandmother’s piano bench and started vigorously pressing the keys. I had always had a fascination with the piano, but it boggled my mind to ever imagine myself learning to play it. Shortly after this time, I began taking piano lessons from my grade school music teacher. Each time I sat down to play, my mind would race at the thought of being able to create something as grand as music. I would hear songs on the radio, sit down at this piano, and contemplate how to recreate the sound. I soon realized I had a knack for playing music by ear, as well as reading the notes on the pages. The more I played, the more joy it brought me. It was at that moment I realized that making music is what truly made me happy.

Before I knew it, my monthly piano lessons became weekly, and those weekly lessons continued on for six years. By the time I reached seventh grade, I felt it was time to expand my horizons and utilize something I cherish to this day-my voice. It is the voice that I hid behind the piano, the voice that I became terrified to share with anyone going in to high school (the early teens are a vulnerable age as is, and there was nothing I wanted to do to particularly stand out from the rest of my classmates). As I was involved in an integrated performing arts class my freshman year, I overcame the fear and shared my music with my classmates.

By the time I reached my junior year, I was accepted into my school’s top singing group, and went on to perform at a variety of venues, even taking on the risks of soloing. With the help of excellent music teachers and my exceptional voice coach, it became clear that my musical journey was taking me to places I never imagined. Although the musical aspect was rather challenging at times, I never found myself losing interest. I would often think to myself how empty I would feel if I ever gave up my music, and how lucky I have become to have it remain such a significant part of my everyday life. As my high school world was constantly changing, I found my music to hold a special place in my heart, another sign of true happiness.

Luckily, this happiness has translated into much more than the simply enjoyment I find in music. For me, it has become a way of life. I find myself singing every chance I get, or stopping to jot down an inspiring thought that I may later reference as a lyric. This journey has not only made me realize the grace of music in its entirety, but it has also influenced my writing like nothing else. I see a great bond between the writing of music and the writing of personal pieces. The words weave into one another, with overlapping thoughts and emotions that simply cannot be explained, but rather felt. The depth of the connection I have found in this process is beautiful, and reminds me constantly of the importance of doing what makes one happy.