Sweet Thing..

I always tell people that I was created by a melody. My parents fell in love in high school when they were bandmates. My Mom was the lead singer; my Dad played bass guitar. After countless hours of practicing Chaka Khan's 'Sweet Thing' in my grandparents basement, a love affair was born. The end result was a child who was destined to be obsessed with melodies.
When I was in the 2nd grade I met my best friend. Little did I know that joining the elementary school chorus would connect me with someone who would have such an impact on my life. We instantly bonded over our love of music and the arts, and have been connected ever since. While I went on to pursue dance, my best friend set off to perfect the music that I would dance to for days on end.
We studied Classical, Rock, Jazz, Opera. And we loved it all. I watched my best friend as her eyes would light up when she learned a new song on her violin. She was amazing to watch, and inspiring to listen to. Today she recruits students for Berklee College of Music. Her deep musical roots and passion for the craft takes her across the country making dreams come true for young musicians. I recently had the pleasure of watching her conduct a music workshop at my church. The kids were so inspired, and I sat in awe as I watched her flawlessly give her presentation to our kids. Since her departure, I have received tons of phone calls from people who were inspired from her visit. What a great gift to witness someone's passions come to life.
I only hope that the kids we come in contact with today appreciate the craft as much as we did at their age. Music to us not only gave us a foundation for culture and artistic expression, but it created a friendship that has lasted for decades. I guess my fate was already sealed the day my dad picked up that guitar.