When everything around you is falling apart, sometimes the only thing you have to hold onto is a dream. Whether realistic or fantasy, dreams shed light on a completely dark and eerie life. A dream is a wish; a passion; a goal; a risk. Dreaming is believing, and believing is never giving up on what means the most to you. I am a fifteen year old girl with nothing but a dream to keep me going in this crazy, frantic, ruthless, forever changing world.

My life is not perfect, just like nobody’s is. The difference between me and almost everybody else; I made a choice. I made a choice to live my life happy despite any obstacles that may come my way. Putting this into words is easy, but putting it into action in my everyday life is a never-ending battle. In combat, my most powerful weapon is my dream. When all else fails, I keep the fight alive because of the one thing that I will always believe in. One of my favorite sayings enforces this. “Stand up for what you believe in even if you’re standing alone.” The world may not believe in me, but I believe in myself. I have no problem standing alone because I know that I can do it. I have faith that a dream can change a person’s life. It changed mine and made me the person I am today.

Three years ago, I was chosen to participate in a music festival called district orchestra. It was a great achievement for a musician my age. I remember being on stage, watching everyone play around me, and realizing that I was good enough. At that moment, I knew playing the violin was the only thing I wanted to do for the rest of my life. With no private lessons up to that point and relying merely on natural talent, I was considered one of the best musicians in my school. As I started joining more orchestras, however, I noticed that the real world was a little different. Nobody held me up on a pedestal. I was not as excellent as I had thought I was, but I was not about to give up. My technique was terrible, I could barely read music, but I had talent. I continue to excel because I believe in myself. I love what I do and I know that I am good enough to make it. I began taking private lessons and practiced every day, but for most people, that wasn’t enough. They told me there was no possible way that I could make a living as a professional violinist with the amount of experience that I had. Because of these people, playing the violin became my dream.

Writing is also one of my favorite things to do. I like the way I can express myself in a completely creative way that is nothing like anybody else. Nevertheless, there is a major difference between the two activities. I love writing, but I am in love with playing the violin. Music speaks to me in a way that is incomprehensible. It has the ability to clear my mind entirely no matter what was previously on it. I love the challenge it brings me. Every day I fight to prove to someone new that I am worth it and that I am talented. When I’m on stage, a rush comes over me and I forget about everything else around me. Music is the only thing that matters. Several times I felt like giving up on life completely. The only reason I didn’t is because I have something to prove to the world and myself. Music has saved me on more than one occasion. It has saved me from my senseless, heart-ache driven teenage life. It has saved me from the constant struggle to keep my family together. Most importantly, it has saved me from myself. Music has taught me never to stop trying for something that you believe so strongly about. It is an escape for me; a way to communicate all of my feelings through a simple song. Without it, I don’t know if I would be here writing this right now.

The word “dream” has a different meaning to almost everyone in this world. What is my definition? A belief; an escape; a life-saving journey. If I had the opportunity to tell the world one thing, I would tell them to never give up on their dreams. In the words of Walt Disney, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” The only thing you need is confidence and belief in yourself. If for some reason that is not enough, I believe in you, and I know that you can achieve any dream you may have. A dream is saving my life, and I don’t know how I got so lucky. Dreaming is believing, and believing is never giving up on what means the most to you.