Two Points of Guidance

These days I'm spending a lot of time trying to figure out what I should do with my life. While I don't have a lot of defining moments in my life from mentor or authority figures as to what I should do, I distinctly remember two critical events that could have, did, or will perhaps change my life.

The first event was when I wanted to join the military. My parents were pretty open minded when it came to choosing a path for my life. They said if it was something I really wanted to do I should do that. They had only one exception for that. It was when I wanted to join the military. They both strongly persuaded me not to do it. Instead of joining the military I ended up where I live now in South Korea.

The second event (which happened to come before my choice to come to Korea), was when I basically gave up on trying to perform all my scales and modes for my music teacher and got a very low grade. When my parents had a parent teacher conference with her she said she was so upset she cried knowing she had to give me a low grade and thinking about how much wasted potential I had. It is this moment in my life that I'm reflecting back on now and realizing it's something I wanted to do for a reason, and it was something that professionals, and teachers tried to encourage me in. Even though I had some bitterness at the fact that my parents didn't enroll me in music lessons as a young child now reflecting back on their expressing their regret makes me think they believed in me too, and really thought I could makes something in the world with music.

In high school, I didn't have the faith now to try to do what I needed to do. Now having tried so many various paths and thinking about what I am good at, and what inspires me the most. What I love the most in life, music is one of those things. What will I do with music? How will I pursue music? I don't know. What I do know is that it has become infinitely easier over the past 12 years since my original plan to come to Korea, save a lot of money, and then return to Canada and study music was hatched.

Digital tools for making music have multiplied and become less expensive. You can actually compose and record a whole song with just your iPhone using Garage Band. And if you have some instruments and/or a MIDI controller, it becomes even easier. How does one gain exposure as an artist? Video through the internet seems to be the primary way. This is an area I've become familiar with too, through various events in the course of my life.

One thing I feel about music is that writing music, especially music for Christians, it needs to be real. It needs to feel drawn from both Scripture and from real life experience; experience people can relate to. Sometimes this requires specificity. We don't need a general concept that people can project themselves on all the time. The Bible is very specific but people find examples in it all the time that they can identify with as Christians. I hope I can take my deep thoughts, and develop my musical talents to this direction.


One final thing I'd like to say is sorry to my music teachers, and fellow musicians, (if they happen to read this), and to my parents for not seeing their regret as a compliment and encouragement rather than a bitter reminder of lost time. The only time I have is now. It's time to use it.