Personal Narrative: H. Jackson Brown Jr.

H. Jackson Brown Jr. once said, “When you can’t change the direction of the wind, just adjust your sails.” I can relate to this quote in regards to overcoming problems in my early teenage years. I grew up with my mother, father, and two older sisters. My sisters are a few years older than I am. Growing up with two older sisters was a struggle but it was especially challenging because they had a gift for athletics and I did not. Both of my sisters were naturals when it came to sports. One of them was the most elite gymnast in Maine consecutively for five years until she graduated. My other sister was a three-time state champion in the pole vault. My parents were both athletes and my two sisters were everything they could ever dream of, but then there was me. I loved baseball, but was not proficient in any position. I couldn’t hit, catch, or throw no matter how much I practiced. I realized this when I sat on the sidelines and watched my team play game after game. It was frustrating to know that I was not skilled enough to play, and because of that I gave up sports for good. At that moment, I felt like I did not fit in with my family. We had nothing in common because sports
I bought a drum set and watched YouTube videos to teach myself how to play. I joined the concert band in fifth grade and continued to take it as a class until sophomore year in high school. I also played in the jazz band for four years, the pep band for five years, and the show choir for two. The feeling I got in my stomach when I was up to bat in a baseball game was the same butterflies that I got when I played music with a group. The difference between baseball and playing the drums was that my hard work did not go unnoticed. Music is a universal language that brings people together, and nobody sits on the bench. Music was a healthy alternative for me because it taught me that everyone should be accepted and