Musician's Daughter

As I finished up my vocal exercises tonight, I opened my computer to find my friend's new blog post. Reading her journey through her third album tugged at my heart. She spoke of a truthfulness in her lyrics and described a vulnerability in her songs that she had not known she could produce. And through all of it, she has found her love of music once more.

With the same feeling of love, I've come to realize my own potential in my music. I've been taking vocal lessons this past month for the first time ever. Repeating scales, exploring "guh's" "gah'" and "nah's", while adding "dumb cries" (as my vocal coach calls them) to my songs, has my voice responding to me in a way I've never experienced.

And through it all I've fallen in love with the voice I didn't know existed. Just like any other art, learning to sing well takes practice and discipline. It takes frustration over the high notes that I still can't seem to reach, and, heart-pumping joy when I hear a sound come from inside that is rich, strong, and all mine. 

Singing has been a passion of mine since I was young and I'm thankful daily that I was created to sing. Every inch of me loves music and while I may never sing for large audiences at Carnegie Hall, I am still just as excited to pursue the depths of my voice. Singing has always been just for me and never for others. It's a place I go to make sense of life and to praise the good times.

As I write, I feel embarrassed to write so candidly about my own voice. I do not mean to decorate my voice or its abilities, but rather to celebrate the way singing has made me see beauty in myself. Many times we focus our attention on the things we want to change about ourselves or the negatives we see. But tonight, my words are open and free and without abashment.

I am thankful to the One who created me and for His own love of music. I am a Musician's daughter.