Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Never Too Late to Make Time for a Dream

I guess it was meant for me to write this blog today because I was thinking I should blog this evening but I didn't want to type from my phone and my computer at home won't stop typing the letter "f". Lol however, I happen to look down at my phone and my blog app was open and a blank post was waiting for me to start typing so, of course I am obedient to the random happenings around me so of course... I type.

At this time of beginning this blog I am on the bus closing in on my home destination but while I sat on my three buses home I honestly reflected on where I am in my life and where I would like to be. Many people aren't happy with the current state of their lives but they also don't know where they want to be or where they want to go.  We roam this life hoping that, by chance, things "work out" but it isn't until years go by and we notice that there are really people out there who still believe in their own dreams and we can't help but stop and wonder where we strayed from our path and more importantly, can and how do we find our way back on track.

The great news is that as long as we have life we have an opportunity to fulfill our dreams and destinies. Sometimes, however, finding one path to follow is rather difficult and, I will gladly be transparent for a moment to be an example of someone seeking her right path.

(Gonna try to make this quick but please don't hold your breath. Lol.)

Age 4  - I wanted to play the piano and asked for a piano for the next 11 years until I realized...I wasn't getting a piano.



Around the same age (4 yo) I wanted to tap dance and this has stayed with me until today. Lo, I am not a tap dancer but have danced to myself over the years to keep the love of the art alive in my soul.

Wrote stories and plays in elementary school and even directed one with a cast and everything. That was the last time I performed one of my plays. Later I would proceed toward acting but...yeah. Let's move on. Smh


 Let's fast forward to high school, shall we? My desire was to attend The Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC as a visual artist. Throughout my entire youth I loved to draw. Visual Arts was my first and really only choice for Ellington but lo, again, I had no portfolio or anything to show but because I wanted to get to Ellington, I decided I would get in under another department then transfer to the VA dept. My second choice...theater dept. I had a hard time deciding on a monologue because I was clueless so I proceeded with my third and easiest choice for me...vocal music dept.
I chose a song, practiced, and the day of the audition, I waited in the tan painted hallway of the music floor with other nervous hopefuls, who would later become some of my best friends, and waited to be called to sing my song.  Well, I was called in to a room where an older gentleman sat at a piano waiting for me. Nervous, I breathed a breath of "let's get this over with" and the stern faced older gentleman behind the piano introduced himself as Dr. Dash. Later I would study vocal techniques under the instruction of his wife, Mrs. Dorothy Dash.

Okay, I was ready to sing my song, My Tribute (To God be the Glory), but first I had to sing scales and such to display my range. After a few scales, the older gentleman behind the piano smiles and says, "Thank you. I don't think you need to sing your song." he then thanked me and sent me on my way. I was in!

Four years, one jacked up recital later I graduated Ellington more confused than when I began. Thinking I was hurting others, I stupidly decided that I would not sing again.  The ignorance of youth. Fast forward to the present where I have completed an architecture program, photography programs, audio engineering and music management program and have written so many songs, poetry and other writings that I feel like if I learn one more thing I'm going to push information out of my brain.

Even though this story is not brief at all, O_O, I look at my life to see where I veered  away from my path and passion and I ALWAYS end up with thoughts of when I graduated from the 6th grade. All the graduates were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up. While the other students said the standard canned responses like President, lawyer, doctor, and police officer, I gave a response that no one else gave and I still have the graduation program, somewhere, with, my choice. And what did Tara want to be?

A musician.

Sometimes it is good to revisit the desires of your heart as a child because it could shed light on where you may really should be. Sometime your desires may change but I can almost promise you that you still love some of the same things you did as a child. Help facilitate your children's dreams so 30 years later they won't still be wondering if they could have done more.

As for me, Im going to finish sketching this picture and tomorrow I will practice a few music pieces.

I finally got my piano. (^_^)