2nd Place Winner
2014 FFMC State Essay Contest
The endless drops of sweat rolled down her back. The pain gripped her like a vice. Eighteen year old Grace loved to dance. Although her heart endeared her so fervently to this passion, the cancer caused pain and fatigue beyond what she could endure as she diligently danced. Her happiness was drowned with doubt and discouragement. Why did she have to suffer with cancer? What in the world could bring healing? Grace’s eye caught the title of a book on her desk, Music, the Dance of Life. Intensely curious, she began to read: “Healing starts with the soul. Music is the language of the soul. Music takes sufferers on a personal journey, guiding individuals to persevere and enjoy life.
Human souls are constantly searching for answers, for understanding. Speaking to the soul, music answers the deepest human questions with its compelling composition and wondrous phrases. Its rhythm raptures the heart, and its dynamics captivate the mind. Music and the human soul engage. The connection pieces life together. Gracefully, hope is released like a butterfly taking flight from a flower. Thus, music encourages us to persevere through the difficult realities and questions of life.” Grace was enthralled. She continued to read.
“Every trial faced in life can only be fully resolved with perseverance, and that’s when music can be harnessed. Music never stops. It just keeps journeying through the lives of millions of people without tiring. An example of this can be seen in the story of James Schlender. Having aortic stenosis, James overcame his disability by forgoing sports and embracing the gift of music. Rising to prominence in the music program of University of Miami and winning the National Old Time Fiddle Championships two times, James ‘looked for the music on all things’ and found true joy.”
Grace’s heart began to bloom with hope. Even if her body is impaired to dance, she thought, music could guide her heart to joyfully dance, to willingly go against the world’s hostile gravity. She realized now that music could offer her perseverance through the ups and downs of life. Music could allow her to dance through the loud melody lines and the soft harmony of her daily experiences. Instead of being on the Titanic of discouragement, she felt her soul miraculously lifted from the wreckage, soaring and singing a song of hope.
Standing on the edge of the stage, Grace heard new music begin to play. Leaving the doubts behind, her heart emboldened her broken body to move with the new music. Her whole countenance beamed with light as she danced with indescribable grace and ability. She was now holding onto hope, and its music swelled within her soul...healing her, comforting her, carrying her. In this moment, she understood. As Stravinsky implored, she “looked for music on all things,” and found her life to be “a symphony of joy.” Music was now her dance of life.