Musical Inspiration

Inspiration. Defined as stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity by the dictionary. But, isn't it so much more than that? Inspiration is the driving force behind anything that has ever happened in this world, whether it is good or bad. Where would America be now if the people hadn't been inspired by the Founding Fathers to fight against the British? And what of Mahatma Gandhi, who was inspired by his fellow citizens of India and his religion to fight peacefully for Indian independence from England? Inspiration drove the greats of the world to do their wonderful things. Without the inspiration, nothing would've ever happened. Just think; Americans could still be celebrating the Monarch instead of voting freely for a president. The Indians could still be under British control. Any great invention would not have been invented. The telephone, the television, even indoor plumbing, which are all staples of modern day life, wouldn't have even been thought up. Yes, inspiration is indeed needed and sometimes found in the strangest of places.

The cello has been apart of my life for going on five years now. Nothing could ever take my love for the sound of that beautiful instrument away from me, not even the Goddess, whom I'm assuming wouldn't do it anyway. There is nothing I enjoy more than sitting down and extracting music from its strings with fluid movements of my bow and a variety of different finger placements. Some people I know even say that I am obsessed with my instrument and I must say that I completely agree. The cello is, and always will be, the one thing in this world that I know will never let me down. I can always count on the music to be inside it, waiting for me to nudge it, to bring it to life again. It would wait for a thousand years for me to pick it up and hold it in my hands again. That kind of loyalty, the ability of anything to stick around like that is what inspires me to be the best person I can be.

I first started playing the Cello by accident, having chosen orchestra thinking that the clarinet would be part of it. You can imagine my surprise when I learned that I had to choose between four instruments-the violin, the viola, the cello, and the double bass. When I was pressured to pick an instrument, I begrudgingly pointed to the one closest to me, which was, as you have probably guessed, the cello. As soon as I picked the instrument up, however, and began to play it, I knew that I had made the best decision of my life. Knowing that I had the cello to play every day inspired me to do better in school. It continues to inspire me in school, leading me to go out for Ivy League universities, to challenge myself more than I would normally challenge myself.

When high school came around for me, I was told that I had a very high level of talent and was a good reader of music. That surprised me a great deal, as I have always viewed myself as a struggling player, lower in ability than anyone else. We are our own worst critics, though, aren't we? Eventually, I discovered that it was my love for the instrument, which aided me in my ability. I was better than the others in my grade because, unlike them, I had a bond with my instrument, a bond which couldn't be broken and which very few people have the pleasure of experiencing. In this way, my lovely instrument yet again inspires me. I am inspired to connect with people, to allow close bonds to form, even if I know it won't be able to last. My cello also inspires me to love others, whether they'll love me back or not.

My instrument, I must say, is my life. Other than my Lady, it is the most important thing on the planet to me. Its melodious music provides me with an escape from the world and soothes my very soul. And in its gorgeous sound, I am no longer the smart, geeky jock that tries too hard to be liked, but a gate- a gate through which hatred and evil cannot pass and a gate that breaks all boundaries, even those of language. I am suddenly a messenger for the Goddess herself, sending love and peace into all who hear it. The cello is my life and my inspiration, the reason for which I exist. Without it, I would be nothing but a mediocre writer, a budding historian, and a slightly psychotic teenager who was just searching for who exactly she was. When playing the cello, I leave all that behind for a while. I become someone to this world while playing, whereas I am nothing without it. With the cello, I become a peacekeeper, providing a point at which all cultures, religions, and backgrounds can meet and, for a short time, be joined together under the intoxicating sound of my music and be inspired by the same sound that inspired everything in me.

"Make Music. Break Boundaries. End Hate." Professor Q