As a parent, you always hope that your children will find success and happiness. When my son Nathaniel was born, a co-worker asked me what I wanted him to be when he grows up.
I immediately said, “Whatever makes him happy,” which was quickly followed by “A musician of some kind would be cool, though!”
For me, I have always found solace in sound. No matter what life was dishing out, I turned to music. Like a great friend, music always provided the emotional stability that I needed. I wanted that kind of friend for my children.
I grew up around musicians that played in bands. They got on stage a couple nights a week and found fulfillment doing what they loved. Nathaniel is now 24 years old with a bachelor’s degree in music education. Until recently, he had never performed on stage outside of a school event. To watch him pick up his bass, plug in to an amp and make a room full of people smile with his playing was transcendental.
It was the tiniest little bar I’d ever seen out in Frankfort, and the band was pressed tightly into a corner. People seemed to be climbing over chairs just to move a few feet; yet, there wasn’t a frown to be found.
Nathaniel, his band, and the audience were all being embraced by music – finding solace in sound.
Nathaniel works as a school bus driver. He plays music as a hobby. This is what makes him happy, and there is no better success in life than finding true happiness.
