Hearing a never ending monologue, I begin to grow weary. Minutes go by that feel more like days on end. Looking outside the window, I seek clouds drifting across the sky and trees blowing within the wind. I hear the sound of the rustling leaves, chirps of birds, and water streams all following along with the breeze. The sounds shift from nature to instruments. The clouds form into music notes that all follow along with each other. I see myself outside, enjoying the scenery with my headphones on studying the rhythms and beats produced. As I close my eyes, I hope the endearing moment never ends. The bell's ringing snaps me back into reality. I stand up and pack up my belongings. On my way out, I remember the dream I had, only wishing it wasn't fiction. I try to trap the melody in my head, but soon forget as it fades farther away.

The dream might’ve not been real, but it made me wanderlust. When I think about music(all types), it makes my stress go away, my frown turn upside down, and the world brightens. Music is like a story, but for your ears. As you listen, you see images running through your head scene after scene with nothing till the adventure ends. Music can end on a cliff hanger, then start back up again, or be like a rollercoaster with a mix of emotions all round up in such a short amount of time, or a poem based off of one feeling based off something in life. Music helps cheer others up, for some it’s our go to when we aren’t in our best days. For me, I am one of those people.

Heading to my last class at the end of a gloomy school day , the sound of chaos crescendos every step I take. The closer I get the more I feel the beat bounce off my heart. The tick of bells,  vibration of vibratos, the pull and push of a gliss from a brass player. I head to the practice room where my instrument is placed and begin setting it up.The smell of bamboo trees becomes a taste that only a woodwind musician would enjoy. The smooth feel of the keys, the fulfilling sound when the pedals open and close, the choking feeling from your instrument bringing you down. As I sit, the room turns silent. The director brings his hands up raising our instruments. As he waves his hands, the ensemble follows along as if we’re the director’s marionettes and he’s our puppeteer. My fingers flutter as I read along the page of notes creating a journey to follow. Rests come along and I can’t bare but to close my eyes and listen to the ensemble. I become breathless from how all the instruments come together and not having any air support from my saxophone. When we finish, the song still runs through my head stuck on repeat. Not only is the song stuck, but so is my smile.

I feel a poke on my left shoulder only to see Zack Robinson being dumb witted yet again. I turn my head slowly giving him a disappointed and annoyed look. “Have you ever tried a reed with flavor?”, he said with his pudgy, innocent smile. I didn’t know how to respond so I just laughed from the awkward question. I could tell he felt totally normal over the question and didn’t have any care about it. As I look away cringing, he unscrews my saxophone’s neck making the neck piece turn over. One of my screws go loose as well, but being the caring person he is he puts my instrument back the way it was. Having to play again, we stop “mid conversation” and raise our horns up continuing the journey through the song. He plays quieter than me and sometimes doesn’t play at all, but for only being a beginner I’m proud from his progress. As our section leader, I’ve never seen someone learn so quickly as much as he did learning a new instrument in such short time.

Not only does music make me smile, but the people involved as well. It’s just like cliques: the people who have the same interests as you are the ones you’ll like the most. Everyone who’s in the music department I would consider my friend, but only few I would call my close friend. I do get along with everyone there since we have music to talk about (more than just instrumental),  yet there are some people with other likings that make it better. Music can really bring people together which makes people’s friendships grow stronger. Music is more than just a stress reliever or mood changer, it helps develop your life.

Our band director lets us free for the rest of the hour. We all begin to pack our things except for those with marching band after school. Zack and I head to our instrument cases in one of the practice rooms. As we head out, I hear individuals getting in one last rep of the music before the end comes. I walk slower to hear similar rhythms to mine that I must perfect and tunes that I haven’t heard until then.  Pacing and putting my instrument down on my case, I head back to the band room hearing people playing random tunes and finishing reps. The sound of battling commences as one person’s rhythm gets louder than another’s. On top of that, conversation volumes increase immensely. I hear one rhythm over others, but it gets ruined as the sounds collide and aren’t at the same paces.

The sounds make me get overwhelmed and my thoughts go all over the place. My mind spins faster and faster around in circles, trapping my thoughts. As I slide my headphones on, the chaos fades away and gets replaced with rhythms that my ears enjoy. The music takes over, erasing all my worries. A new door opens leading to a new world. A world where life is upbeat, positive, and fun. In the end, I find that music is the key to help escape the trapped room.

Music, in general, is the reason I’m positive and don’t whine about my issues. Without music, I most likely wouldn’t have friends like I do now. Like most people, we get categorized into groups for our interests and events we do. My interests have become my activities making it turn into my “life”. I met my friends through band, and then I learned more of their inrests and it changed our relationship from group friends to legit friends. Not only that, but music helps me with stress, anxiety, etc. If you take music away from my life, there would be nothing left of me.