My uncle was the one who introduced me to drumming when I was about 10 years old. I’d go over to his house and he’d play a few of his drumline cadences from high school or some songs that he knew on the drum set. Finally finding something that interested me was exciting considering that I wasn’t your average adolescent boy. I played basketball, soccer, and baseball, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that I was not going to be an athlete. A butterfly vertebra (spinal anomaly associated with OAVS) prevented me from playing football since heavy contact sports put me at risk for paralysis. That said, I embraced music with arms wide open. Pun intended.
Middle school came around the corner and it was time to decide on which extracurricular activity I wanted to pursue. If you remember from the first blog post, I auditioned for percussion because it was the only option I had considering my jaw condition. Thankfully, I was accepted into the band program which kickstarted a formative season of my life. Thank you to all of my band directors and instructors throughout middle and high school: Bernard Rosenberg, Shawna Lien, Chad Taylor, Jordan Stern, Manny Maldonado, Jarrett Lipman, Alan Sharps, and Kris Hartman. Each and every one of them empowered and encouraged me to strive for excellence in everything that I do. From 6th grade to 12th grade, I spent nearly every day working on honing my musical craft. I had never experienced what it felt like to be passionate about something until drumming became such a huge part of my life. My years in the band were so much more than formal training in percussion, though. I developed a strong work ethic, learned how to effectively manage my time, and acquired leadership skills that set me up for success in jobs I would eventually hold.
Toward the end of my freshman year in high school, we began attending CBC, where I found out about the student band program called Amplify. I auditioned, got accepted, and quickly got involved with the worship team. I began playing for all of our gatherings (kids, students, weekend services, bible studies, etc) and four years later, got hired as an intern which eventually turned into a full-time staff position. I’m eternally grateful for how CBC gave me a place to serve and grow in my relationship with Christ, all the while making lifelong friends.
For the majority of my teenage years, I struggled with feeling emasculated because I didn’t care about watching or playing sports. I felt like I couldn’t fully relate to my male peers because I wasn’t on the football team and because of the “band nerd” stigma. However, the real issue here was less about my insecurity and more about my identity. I was forgetting that Jesus didn’t die so that I could turn an activity into idolatry, albeit sports or music. He died so that I could live in the freedom of who He has called me to be. If you’re struggling with similar insecurities, know that you were created intentionally and in the image of a Father who loves you more than anything. He loves you regardless of your vocation or hobby.