It’s the first day of fall. A cool breeze is present, but warmth from the shining sun is cast upon my décolletage. Thud thud goes the bottom of my sneakers against concrete with a steady pulse as I enter one of Hoboken’s many coffee shops.
Sipping on my drink, I type away at an essay for English class. It seems rather pointless to me that I have to analyze Aristotle when I am pursuing a career in music. Regardless, I type. And I look up through the window in front of me at the many faces of individuals outside: the construction workers across the street, a mother-to-be, a group of young teenage girls. A surge of calmness and serenity overcomes me as I remind myself that this is home — a place of safety and immense joy. I bridge a connection between what I am doing at college and what many of these people had to do as well — work their way towards the goals that led them here.
Amongst the passing people emerges a surprise — a middle-aged man playing guitar. He walks swiftly but confidently, and the smile on his face is unbelievably genuine as is his act of pure kindness. His attempt to spread positivity through music is more than successful, as he touches the souls of everyone before him. For a moment, my gaze is on only him, and he quite literally entraps me in a space of his incredible aura.
As a Music Tech major, I obviously have a love for music, but it’s much more than just that: it’s the power that music embodies and its ability to affect souls. The simple three seconds that it took for this man to walk past me while strumming a guitar completely reinforced why I have chosen this career path. It gave me a sense of purpose behind the essay I was writing — it is one of the many steps towards the top of the hill. The simplicity of what he was doing was affecting him as well as the people who heard the music he was playing, and not only was he spreading positivity, but he was showcasing the power behind music.
No matter what your major is, it is essential for all of us to understand our “why”: the underlying current that provides reason behind our decisions. Finding moments that remind us why we’re here at Stevens can only push us closer to what we want, and it is only with this mindset that we can ever truly accomplish our goals.
Be First to Comment