The lights are off. The crowd is cheering. The drum beats rapidly, then all is silent. The stage manager counts down and says, “Enter stage right.” My heart races as I jump into the spotlight, pushing all my nerves away. The band falls into place behind me. The music starts. Then I wake up.
Through the many struggles and hard times in my life, music has always been my escape route. The feeling of grabbing my guitar or sitting at the piano and just playing and singing makes tears fill my eyes. Through music God comforts me when I need it, relieves me from the hard times, encourages and inspires me when no one else can.
Music is what I know. After the first few opening notes of a song my heart comes alive, the nervousness retreats and I get a feeling that I only get when I perform. It is a feeling of joy and happiness to be doing what I love, but above all it is a feeling of freedom; freedom from all of the hurt and disappointment, freedom to be whoever and whatever I want to be and freedom to choose what image I want to use and what legacy I want to leave behind.
I dream of one day becoming a Christian singer and going on tour around the world. I long to see and influence the world through music. Without music I would be lost.