I’m standing at the front of a makeshift stage with an audience waiting eagerly to listen to what our choir can do. We began with the song “How Great Thou Art”, and many sang along. I can’t help but smile with our audience. I could tell that they were feeling the effects of music and community; That they were allowed to reconnect with themselves. I know this because Gary, a resident of the Great Plains Nursing and Rehabilitation, told us that our service was a gift to him and the other residents. Through this service, I have had the opportunity to continue giving my talents as an act of service to others. It has been because of this service that I discovered my desire to continue helping others through both art and music in the same way it has helped me. The arts in all its forms is one of the most beautiful things that a human being can harness. Victor Hugo, a poet, novelist, and dramatist says that “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” and I couldn't agree more. Every single time where I struggle with my self-image or with difficult moments, I turn to the arts. I will take my guitar and just play. I don’t need words to express what I feel. All I need is for the sound of music to fill my head. Other times, I will pick up my pencils and find the perfect reference to sketch, and after using that reference as an outline, I can turn it into a drawing representing that which I feel. I don’t need words to express what I feel. Offering my time and talents, I realized that in the same way that music has helped me, It has helped others. I’ve come to realize that I want to continue helping others through music and art therapy. The arts are a huge outlet and therapy for me and so many others, even people who haven't tried such art forms as a way to cope will discover that expressive arts can encourage happiness or heal the broken. An example of this is when I sang at a funeral in August of 2022. A man approached me and thanked me for volunteering to sing at the funeral and told me that he felt as though it was soothing and peaceful in a moment of such pain. In this same way, the more physical art form such as drawing can bring people together or allow a person to express and discover more about themselves. I want to keep learning about my talents to master them and eventually be able to give others the gift of expression through these art mediums to improve an individual’s emotions, physical illness, disability, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and addictions. My desire to help others fuels my desire to work harder. I want to put forth the effort so that I can help others, emotionally, physically, and mentally through therapy so that I can make a difference in a person’s life. It is because of the moments such as when my choir went to sing for the residents at the nursing home, that I realized that music and art therapy is the right career path for me. All of the happiness that I witnessed just from giving my time and talents… made me feel happy in the same way the residents felt joy. So now, I will study and work hard each day so that I can achieve this dream of mine.

I’m standing at the front of a makeshift stage with an audience waiting eagerly to listen to what our choir can do. We began with the song “How Great Thou Art”, and many sang along. I can’t help but smile with our audience. I could tell that they were feeling the effects of music and community; That they were allowed to reconnect with themselves. I know this because Gary, a resident of the Great Plains Nursing and Rehabilitation, told us that our service was a gift to him and the other residents. Through this service, I have had the opportunity to continue giving my talents as an act of service to others. It has been because of this service that I discovered my desire to continue helping others through both art and music in the same way it has helped me. The arts in all its forms is one of the most beautiful things that a human being can harness. Victor Hugo, a poet, novelist, and dramatist says that “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” and I couldn't agree more. Every single time where I struggle with my self-image or with difficult moments, I turn to the arts. I will take my guitar and just play. I don’t need words to express what I feel. All I need is for the sound of music to fill my head. Other times, I will pick up my pencils and find the perfect reference to sketch, and after using that reference as an outline, I can turn it into a drawing representing that which I feel. I don’t need words to express what I feel. Offering my time and talents, I realized that in the same way that music has helped me, It has helped others. I’ve come to realize that I want to continue helping others through music and art therapy. The arts are a huge outlet and therapy for me and so many others, even people who haven't tried such art forms as a way to cope will discover that expressive arts can encourage happiness or heal the broken. An example of this is when I sang at a funeral in August of 2022. A man approached me and thanked me for volunteering to sing at the funeral and told me that he felt as though it was soothing and peaceful in a moment of such pain. In this same way, the more physical art form such as drawing can bring people together or allow a person to express and discover more about themselves. I want to keep learning about my talents to master them and eventually be able to give others the gift of expression through these art mediums to improve an individual’s emotions, physical illness, disability, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and addictions. My desire to help others fuels my desire to work harder. I want to put forth the effort so that I can help others, emotionally, physically, and mentally through therapy so that I can make a difference in a person’s life. It is because of the moments such as when my choir went to sing for the residents at the nursing home, that I realized that music and art therapy is the right career path for me. All of the happiness that I witnessed just from giving my time and talents… made me feel happy in the same way the residents felt joy. So now, I will study and work hard each day so that I can achieve this dream of mine.