Dear Band Fam of 2010–2014,
Hello friends. It's been a minute since we've all seen or heard from each other. All of us are at different stages in life: School, work, new families, new ambitions. I know i've been sailing among the highest of seas and the highest of stresses. But I wanted to take the time to sit down and dedicate this article to all of you. When I write, I bring out all of my skeletons and ounce of poetic integrity, hoping to capture my audience, and this time you are my audience. You are my poetic integrity and my skeletons. I can't thank you all enough for being in my life and having such an influence on me. Here I am in 2016, and I can still see all of you in me. I can look in the mirror. and I can see the trumpet section's smart-ass comments and high pride, I can see the flutes' timid eyes, I can see clarinets' sweet smile, I can see the low brass' crude humor, I can see the drum line and percussion's dumb smile and I can definitely see the love and support of the saxophones.
A lot of my band family rotated through the years, you all either moved to different schools or gracefully moved across that stage at graduation. And each year, the tears in my eyes grew bigger and bigger with every eight to five step walked across that stage. 2012 was especially hard I knew once day that would be me, and my family would be broken. My security net would be cute, and I would be left floating aimlessly in term papers, music theory, solfege and the harsh reality of life.
I can reflect back on these feelings and say that they were portrayed in the wrong way. Toward my upperclassman years, I was bitter at times. I told multiple people that they were complete trash, and I was heartless. I made people cry, and I felt my family begin to crumble. You all knew that I love you, at least I hope. But my actions were so unprofessional. I treated you guys like my punching bag instead of giving you my love. When you truly love someone, it's hard to really sell the emotions right. And I definitely was in the wrong market. I was scared to lose you guys, and in a way I have. But that's okay.
We will never have the boba runs after school, four-hour practice on the field with the wind, doughnut and coffee sales, the tuba locker naps, selfies, heartache and laughter. But no one can take those memories away from me, and I hold them so near and dear to my heart. As a music education major, I can only hope to teach a class with the types of personalities you guys have. And I can only hope to have the patience my director had.
Long story short, you nerds will always be my family and always have my heart. This may seem cheesy, but I've gouda tell you how much I love all of you. You are what saved me in 2012 when I lost my nana; you are what brought up my self-esteem; you are what makes up my personality. You guys are the reason why I'm sitting in the Church Fine Arts music department right now composing this letter while waiting for my sight singing class. I'm sorry for the bad times, and I cherish all the good and more. I wish you all luck in your endeavors, and if our paths ever cross again for whatever reason, the boba is on me. So alas, to all of the North Valleys High School students that were in band from 2010–2014, I love you guys. Always remember that. Heart's on fire; mind's on ice.
Love,
Noel aka Pip aka Suga Momma aka Crazy Section Leader
