The biggest problem facing the world right now is as old as humanity itself. Understanding and empathizing with our fellow man to better ourselves and our situation is the crux of civilization and yet is one area of human progression we still have yet to master or address with realistic and pragmatic solutions. It is the single greatest cause of problems that we face on a small and large scale. If we understood, with conviction, that people go hungry every night, or that social, economic, racial, sexuality, and personality differences aren't a threat to our existence we might have a common goal to fix the problems that avail us. There is no easy solution to this problem. In fact there are whole facets of society related to addressing this: religion, philosophy, psychology, education to name a few. I have chosen to go into psychology and music therapy. I want to help my fellow humans to understand and relate to themselves and others more effectively and positively. If we were to understand how our own selves can operate and relate, we could start to understand how others operate and relate. What do we have without understanding? No buildings built, no music performed together, no love expressed between friends, relatives, or partners? This is not a world we want. If people would turn to their neighbor and start to genuinely understand and empathize with, them we might have a chance. Without this, we cannot fix the other issues that plague our civilization and cultures. I want to understand. We need to understand one another. Education, therapy, kindness among strangers, public campaigns for mindful awareness are a few examples of how we can work on this issue. Thankfully we have started this process. Yet there is a long way to go.

The song "Somebody To Love" by Queen is, to my ear, one of the best composed popular songs written. The use of blues and classical motifs in a lush recording and Freddie Mercury's vocals on top of Brian May's guitar (that he built and designed himself) gives me a virtual feast of listening to pleasure. Each time I listen I find something new to enjoy. When I practice, this is the song I use to warm up with, because I am instantly inspired to grasp even a sliver of what they had when this song was written and recorded. It was noted as Mercury's favorite of all the Queen songs, and for good reason. If I could write a song half as good as that I'd consider it a huge success. I most often listen to jazz and classical greats, and yet still this song gives me a joy and a feeling of inspiration. More than John Coltrane, more than Rachmaninov, and dare I say it greater than Beethoven this song speaks to something in me that I can't quite put into words. So I'll let Freddie and the band tell it for me: "I'm OK, I'm alright (he's alright, he's alright) I ain't gonna face no defeat (yeah yeah) I just gotta get out of this prison cell One day (someday) I'm gonna be free, Lord! Find me somebody to love" Isn't that what we're all looking for really? Somebody to love, to be loved, to be free? The popular song lyrics aside, the harmonies, the chords, the rhythm and the a-cappella break all give me(and really anyone interested in song writing) something to strive towards. Long live the Queen.

Mental health was not something I thought about for a very long time. And it showed. My life up until about 3 years ago was on somewhat of a path. Although I never graduated from college, I was building up what I thought to be a somewhat fulfilling life (maybe not financially speaking) and yet, I was extremely unhappy. I had done some college in music and I had gotten in with a group and scene and played in bands, at churches, plays, taught lessons, and even did so professionally for a few short years. I moved to a new town and decided to try my luck there, only to realize that there was an underlying issue affecting my actual success. I believed that Depression and Anxiety were other peoples problems, definitely not my problems. But alas I was wrong. My previous drug and alcohol abuse in my early twenties had left me without a clear head, and with underlying issues. While I should have been building friendships and a life, I was busy partying and doing drugs. Using mostly pills and other substances, I tried to "fix" myself. While I spent my late teens and early twenties in a drug filled haze, my peers were graduating college, starting families, and building successful careers. At one point I decided that I'd had enough (after a friend had passed away, I had loaded gun pulled on me, and another sent to prison) and moved 6 hours away to attend college with a friend who was also trying to get clean. If I had stayed there I would have most likely ended up dead or in jail. I got sober, but I never sought help. Which led to other underlying problems, mostly Depression and Anxiety. After finally admitting that I had something to address I sought out therapy. And it changed my life. I was able to focus more and increased my level of self awareness to understand the issues that I would deal with. Without this intervention, I have no doubt that I would not have had a change in the pattern of self-deprivation. I would have lingered in self doubt and depression until it might have ended me. But I found help, and it worked. This led me to pursue a career and mental health and music therapy. I’d like to make a difference in someone’s life the way my doctor made a difference in mine. I don’t think anyone should have to go through life without knowing that they can overcome mental health issues if they so choose. This year I returned to school to double major in music and psychology and have been very successful. With only one week left before exams my grade average is at a 99.9. And so I am on a new path. I’m a bit older, wiser, and more focused. I won’t have as much time to make a difference as someone younger might have, but that’s ok. If only one person is helped, I will have considered my endeavors a success. Hopefully I can help many more.

Mental health was not something I thought about for a very long time. And it showed. My life up until about 3 years ago was on somewhat of a path. Although I never graduated from college, I was building up what I thought to be a somewhat fulfilling life (maybe not financially speaking) and yet, I was extremely unhappy. I had done some college in music and I had gotten in with a group and scene and played in bands, at churches, plays, taught lessons, and even did so professionally for a few short years. I moved to a new town and decided to try my luck there, only to realize that there was an underlying issue affecting my actual success. I believed that Depression and Anxiety were other peoples problems, definitely not my problems. But alas I was wrong. My previous drug and alcohol abuse in my early twenties had left me without a clear head, and with underlying issues. While I should have been building friendships and a life, I was busy partying and doing drugs. Using mostly pills and other substances, I tried to "fix" myself. While I spent my late teens and early twenties in a drug filled haze, my peers were graduating college, starting families, and building successful careers. At one point I decided that I'd had enough (after a friend had passed away, I had loaded gun pulled on me, and another sent to prison) and moved 6 hours away to attend college with a friend who was also trying to get clean. If I had stayed there I would have most likely ended up dead or in jail. I got sober, but I never sought help. Which led to other underlying problems, mostly Depression and Anxiety. After finally admitting that I had something to address I sought out therapy. And it changed my life. I was able to focus more and increased my level of self awareness to understand the issues that I would deal with. Without this intervention, I have no doubt that I would not have had a change in the pattern of self-deprivation. I would have lingered in self doubt and depression until it might have ended me. But I found help, and it worked. This led me to pursue a career and mental health and music therapy. I’d like to make a difference in someone’s life the way my doctor made a difference in mine. I don’t think anyone should have to go through life without knowing that they can overcome mental health issues if they so choose. This year I returned to school to double major in music and psychology and have been very successful. With only one week left before exams my grade average is at a 99.9. And so I am on a new path. I’m a bit older, wiser, and more focused. I won’t have as much time to make a difference as someone younger might have, but that’s ok. If only one person is helped, I will have considered my endeavors a success. Hopefully I can help many more.

Mental health was not something I thought about for a very long time. And it showed. My life up until about 3 years ago was on somewhat of a path. Although I never graduated from college, I was building up what I thought to be a somewhat fulfilling life (maybe not financially speaking) and yet, I was extremely unhappy. I had done some college in music and I had gotten in with a group and scene and played in bands, at churches, plays, taught lessons, and even did so professionally for a few short years. I moved to a new town and decided to try my luck there, only to realize that there was an underlying issue affecting my actual success. I believed that Depression and Anxiety were other peoples problems, definitely not my problems. But alas I was wrong. My previous drug and alcohol abuse in my early twenties had left me without a clear head, and with underlying issues. While I should have been building friendships and a life, I was busy partying and doing drugs. Using mostly pills and other substances, I tried to "fix" myself. While I spent my late teens and early twenties in a drug filled haze, my peers were graduating college, starting families, and building successful careers. At one point I decided that I'd had enough (after a friend had passed away, I had loaded gun pulled on me, and another sent to prison) and moved 6 hours away to attend college with a friend who was also trying to get clean. If I had stayed there I would have most likely ended up dead or in jail. I got sober, but I never sought help. Which led to other underlying problems, mostly Depression and Anxiety. After finally admitting that I had something to address I sought out therapy. And it changed my life. I was able to focus more and increased my level of self awareness to understand the issues that I would deal with. Without this intervention, I have no doubt that I would not have had a change in the pattern of self-deprivation. I would have lingered in self doubt and depression until it might have ended me. But I found help, and it worked. This led me to pursue a career and mental health and music therapy. I’d like to make a difference in someone’s life the way my doctor made a difference in mine. I don’t think anyone should have to go through life without knowing that they can overcome mental health issues if they so choose. This year I returned to school to double major in music and psychology and have been very successful. With only one week left before exams my grade average is at a 99.9. And so I am on a new path. I’m a bit older, wiser, and more focused. I won’t have as much time to make a difference as someone younger might have, but that’s ok. If only one person is helped, I will have considered my endeavors a success. Hopefully I can help many more.

Mental health was not something I thought about for a very long time. And it showed. My life up until about 3 years ago was on somewhat of a path. Although I never graduated from college, I was building up what I thought to be a somewhat fulfilling life (maybe not financially speaking) and yet, I was extremely unhappy. I had done some college in music and I had gotten in with a group and scene and played in bands, at churches, plays, taught lessons, and even did so professionally for a few short years. I moved to a new town and decided to try my luck there, only to realize that there was an underlying issue affecting my actual success. I believed that Depression and Anxiety were other peoples problems, definitely not my problems. But alas I was wrong. After finally admitting that I had something to address I sought out therapy. And it changed my life. I was able to focus more and increased my level of self awareness to understand the issues that I would deal with. Without this intervention, I have no doubt that I would not have had a change in the pattern of self-deprivation. I would have lingered in self doubt and depression until it might have needed me. But I found help, and it worked. This led me to pursue a career and mental health and music therapy. I’d like to make a difference in someone’s life the way my doctor made a difference in mine. I don’t think anyone should have to go through life without knowing that they can overcome mental health issues if they do choose. This year I returned to school to double major in music and psychology and have been very successful. With only one week left before exams my grade average is at a 99.9. And so I am on a new path. I’m a bit older, wiser, and more focused. I won’t have as much time to make a difference as someone younger might have, but that’s ok. If only one person is helped, I will have considered my endeavors a success. Hopefully I can help many more.

Mental health was not something I thought about for a very long time. And it showed. My life up until about 3 years ago was on somewhat of a path. Although I never graduated from college, I was building up what I thought to be a somewhat fulfilling life (maybe not financially speaking) and yet, I was extremely unhappy. I had done some college in music and I had gotten in with a group and scene and played in bands, at churches, plays, taught lessons, and even did so professionally for a few short years. I moved to a new town and decided to try my luck there, only to realize that there was an underlying issue affecting my actual success. I believed that Depression and Anxiety were other peoples problems, definitely not my problems. But alas I was wrong. After finally admitting that I had something to address I sought out therapy. And it changed my life. I was able to focus more and increased my level of self awareness to understand the issues that I would deal with. Without this intervention, I have no doubt that I would not have had a change in the pattern of self-deprivation. I would have lingered in self doubt and depression until it might have needed me. But I found help, and it worked. This led me to pursue a career and mental health and music therapy. I’d like to make a difference in someone’s life the way my doctor made a difference in mine. I don’t think anyone should have to go through life without knowing that they can overcome mental health issues if they do choose. This year I returned to school to double major in music and psychology and have been very successful. With only one week left before exams my grade average is at a 99.9. And so I am on a new path. I’m a bit older, wiser, and more focused. I won’t have as much time to make a difference as someone younger might have, but that’s ok. If only one person is helped, I will have consider my endeavors a success. Hopefully I can help many more.