Hey guys! I sincerely hoped you enjoyed the first part of my story! I left the story open ended for a reason, there is so much more to tell you about it. You went through the part of my story that was my saving grace, the discovery of the music inside of me. This next part is about the journey music has taken me on, to bring me where I am today. If you have not heard my first part of my story, I highly recommend you visit the page and tell me all about what it means to you... because this story means the world to me. The part one of this story is right here at the link below:

https://www.theodysseyonline.com/music-changed-my-...

So, to start off, I want to remind you where we left off in the last article. In the last article, the ending was where I had just discovered my passion. I was introduced to the piano as a means of distraction and it had become an escape, a thriving passion that had me pursuing a life of greater purpose. Well, this story continues, leading to the discovery of not only a passion, but a gift. After two months or so of a passionate escape, I had taught myself to read music and to play various songs. After the realization of my parents knowing how badly I wanted it, I was put in piano lessons. Not only were the piano lessons a success, but I started showing signs of significant potential as a pianist. My lessons had started in October, and by January I had gone to my first contest (ISSMA) and received a Gold due to a near perfect score. So I have been told, it was in that moment that my family and friends started realizing that this was much more than just an acquired skill for me. This was when I was thirteen. While I was learning to play the piano, a new skill was bubbling inside me as well sparking from the piano. I fell in love with writing and decided to take in as much as I could. At fourteen, I took the first music course I could and took the only Music Theory course our school offered. The class opened up a world of passion for understanding, as my hunger to understand grew more and more, it never ceased and still hasn't to this day. In that class I absorbed everything that I was given and went out of my way to explore original ideas and challenge myself in ways the other students chose not to. I explored writing piano solos, bizarre ensembles, string quartets, even a symphony as I explored various styles and musical concepts. Music just became the world that I wanted to live in, and nothing else seemed to matter to me more than just simply becoming better than I was yesterday. This sparked my dream of one day becoming a concert pianist and composer.

As time progressed, so did my skill level, and by time I was a Junior in high school at age sixteen I was able to study at Indiana Wesleyan College for piano performance. While the music was stimulating and I was learning an incredible amount of information in methods and techniques, there were situations outside of school that started killing my drive and reinstated my depression in my life. Situations like being unable to find proper practice time, arguments at home, stress keeping up with school and the college class, and my parents' divorce. These took a toll on me emotionally and I just ceased to be able to make the cut for my piano teacher. I became unreliable as a student, as a friend, as a part of my family... I had just decided that I was incapable of being anyone or anything like I had use to. It seemed so unrealistic that I might as well have given up on it. So, for the time being, I did. I gave up on the idea of a dream... of a life meant for more. But as I started closing off from the world, I isolated myself into earbuds where I would listen to music just to get away. Well just as I would close myself off again and get into this unhealthy suicidal state again (possibly worse than the first), I received an intervention. I found a band that offered me hope, something to strive for again. I started to write vocal music that I started to sing myself because of them.

The first song that I ever wrote for vocals was called "Shattered." The song was inspired by my parent's split up and just needing a release. What is even more miraculous about this is that when I started singing, it was the first time in three to four years. I had stopped when I was made fun of for me having a bad voice, even though I loved to sing. I became so scared and insecure, up until that moment I could not even sing when I was alone. I was terrified. But writing that song for vocals evoked something I had not felt for a long time... purpose. I showed more and more people my music, everyone loved the song, but I was still not understood by most. Many had thought that I had given up on piano entirely and I was often questioned about why I would start singing and give up on piano, because my real potential lies in my piano. But the truth is I never gave up the piano, but had reoriented my direction in the field of music. A lot of the "interventions" I had received had only hurt me rather than helped in any way. I knew what direction I was headed despite what others had told me... me and one friend were the only ones that knew my vision at all. I started to take influence from the band that helped save me from my distress and gave me a new outlet (Twenty One Pilots), but using my classical interests to take a new, more dynamic and intellectual approach to writing the songs. My start at making my music known among people is my Instagram page, and I started street performing on spring break when I was in Daytona Beach last spring and made two-hundred dollars performing. I started just doing what I can do to get my music out and let people be influenced by my message.

I have a mission to help people with my music and my "story" who have gone through depression, anxiety, or just wanted to give up on their dreams. Over time, my skills started improving and my songs getting better and people started to see that I did in fact have potential as a musician, as a vocalist, as a songwriter. To this day I am still writing and working to get into a position where I can get more people to hear my music, because I want to one day inspire someone like me who desires to make a difference in people's life by proving that you can come out of anything and rise above.

As you can tell, my story is far from over, but this is where YOU come in... in order for me to achieve my dream to make the difference I have set my heart on making, I am going to need the support of everyone. Share on Facebook , Twitter, email, talk with your friends about me if my story resonates with anyone of you. SHARE IT WITH ALL YOUR FRIENDS. I want you to be a part of my story and help become a part of the mission I am a part of, by sharing this story with anyone you think would like to hear my message. If you have any questions or decide you want to contact me, message me here in the comments or find me on Facebook so that you can share your heart with me. Thank you to all who read this and appreciate my message from my life story. I hope you felt inspired, stick around for much more, including stories, songs, and advice from someone who has been there too. God Bless.