The smell is what she noticed first, a combination of sawdust and lemon cleaner that filled her nose with its gentle scent. Inhaling deeply, she allowed the breath to fill her entirely. Every space between the arteries in her veins down through the tips of her toes as she began to walk across the stage. The caramelized wood was slippery beneath the daunting heel of her shoe, but she did not waver for the even a slight moment. Walking as her mother would, straightened back with an aura of determination radiating from within her, she made her way through the blinding lights to the center of the stage.
Anticipation drummed within her ears. Brightness overwhelmed her. Quiet murmurs taunted from the darkness of the auditorium as she unlatched the …show more content…
“You have the gift.” He told her proudly.
“What do you mean?”
He paused for a moment, as though trying to piece together what he meant. Speaking slowly he began to explain.
“You see most people think that a song can only have lyrics if there is someone singing it. But you see a true musician, the ones with the gift, they’re able to find voices within the song regardless there are words. You listen in a way that others fail to recognize. It’s up to us to listen closely to the words in the melody, decipher what it means, and to illustrate it to those around us so that they can interpret music the same way that we can hear it.” Josephine’s fingers flew frantically across the neck as she thought of the first moment she played those strings, and it had sounded like a cat had fallen into the garbage disposal. Her dad hadn’t laughed at her, he just smiled reassuringly and told her to try again. All of the performances, the late night practicing, and calloused fingers. When asked at graduation what she wanted to do with her life, many scoffed at the idea of pursuing music.
“Oh that’s a nice hobby and all, but how do you plan on making any …show more content…
Sleepless nights spent with assortments of parchment torn or crumpled on the ground next to her in frustration, yet another failed attempt to bring the music in her head to life. Then, something would suddenly just click. There were no other words to describe it. As though the missing chord or note just tumbled into place. Now she stood valiantly before the crowd presenting the gift. Her tale was one of sorrow, of doubt and uncertainty. It began a slow and melancholy melody, but then it changed. She sang without her lips ever parting. The story rang out. It was one of compassion: how the uncertainty began to fade away as her pen touched the paper, and the pieces began to fall into place. All along what she was looking for concealed among the strings of her violin. As her story drew to a close she played with all she had, the melody drifting forward from her fingers as the gift devoured her. Josephine could feel the intensity strengthen. With one final note, the song faded. The applause rang out just as the last chords resonated through the air. Josephine stood among it all, her long silver dress glimmering still long after the lights dimmed away, and departed in search of her next
Anticipation drummed within her ears. Brightness overwhelmed her. Quiet murmurs taunted from the darkness of the auditorium as she unlatched the …show more content…
“You have the gift.” He told her proudly.
“What do you mean?”
He paused for a moment, as though trying to piece together what he meant. Speaking slowly he began to explain.
“You see most people think that a song can only have lyrics if there is someone singing it. But you see a true musician, the ones with the gift, they’re able to find voices within the song regardless there are words. You listen in a way that others fail to recognize. It’s up to us to listen closely to the words in the melody, decipher what it means, and to illustrate it to those around us so that they can interpret music the same way that we can hear it.” Josephine’s fingers flew frantically across the neck as she thought of the first moment she played those strings, and it had sounded like a cat had fallen into the garbage disposal. Her dad hadn’t laughed at her, he just smiled reassuringly and told her to try again. All of the performances, the late night practicing, and calloused fingers. When asked at graduation what she wanted to do with her life, many scoffed at the idea of pursuing music.
“Oh that’s a nice hobby and all, but how do you plan on making any …show more content…
Sleepless nights spent with assortments of parchment torn or crumpled on the ground next to her in frustration, yet another failed attempt to bring the music in her head to life. Then, something would suddenly just click. There were no other words to describe it. As though the missing chord or note just tumbled into place. Now she stood valiantly before the crowd presenting the gift. Her tale was one of sorrow, of doubt and uncertainty. It began a slow and melancholy melody, but then it changed. She sang without her lips ever parting. The story rang out. It was one of compassion: how the uncertainty began to fade away as her pen touched the paper, and the pieces began to fall into place. All along what she was looking for concealed among the strings of her violin. As her story drew to a close she played with all she had, the melody drifting forward from her fingers as the gift devoured her. Josephine could feel the intensity strengthen. With one final note, the song faded. The applause rang out just as the last chords resonated through the air. Josephine stood among it all, her long silver dress glimmering still long after the lights dimmed away, and departed in search of her next