Fateful Evening--Ethan

 

I recall when, on what I presumed would be an ordinary weekend day, I discovered what

my true passion, my dream, would be.

It was a Saturday in 2013, one of the most enjoyable days of my younger childhood. My

dad had taken me on a surprise trip to the beach, just me and him. Due to his strict working

schedule that year, spending quality time with him was somewhat seldom, so that made it much

more special. The day went by fast; the sky quickly faded to orange as we chased each other

on the shore, built sandcastles, splashed around in vividly blue ocean waves, and all other sorts

of fun beach activities. After we had finished our time there, we made our way back to the car to

complete the hour-long drive back home.

However, while this was all an amazing part of the day, this isn’t what I’m referring to

when I mention what would become my passion. After the car started up, my dad slid in a CD

he printed titled “Old Favorites” into the designated slot. A few seconds went by, and then…it

started. The synths in the song began playing, and I was immediately mesmerized. After a bit,

the guitar kicked in, the arpeggio becoming ingrained in my memory. I wondered, “What is this?

Why do I feel so drawn in?” Soon after, a man’s powerful and inspiring vocals beamed into the

song, and my curiosity peaked. I wanted to know who sang this strange, fascinating song. I

NEEDED to find out. I asked my dad all about it, and he answered me with “Where the Streets

Have No Name” by the famous band U2. It was a lengthy name that I was sure that I’d forget,

but I didn’t. It lingered in my mind, replaying over and over, especially the guitar. Music hadn’t

captivated me to this degree before, but this was different. I knew from then on, my life had

changed; I wanted to learn how to play the guitar, write lyrics as moving as those ones, produce

memorable melodies, and make a whole future out of it, all because of U2.

Looking back at it now, this experience made me realize that you don’t always know

exactly what your passion in life will be; it can strike you unexpectedly, something

unforeseeable, something you had never considered at all prior to that moment. Before this, I

had planned on taking on a more educational-oriented career path, following in the footsteps of

my mom who’s a teacher. While I still think of that as an option, I know that my heart gravitates

to music. I’ve spent all of those years since that day studying music, listening to all sorts of

instruments, harmonies, arrangements, pretty much anything I could. I play music whenever I

can; U2 inspired me to look into other songs of that time period, and that was how my

enjoyment of 80s music came into fruition. I want my future to be music, and I will do all I can to

maximize my chances of making it happen. I still have lots of progress to make, such as

learning how to play more advanced guitar riffs and figuring out what the best way to produce

catchy tunes are, but I have the motivation to keep going and make it a reality. It’s interesting to

think about how different your life would be if something as simple as taking a trip didn’t happen.

Where would you be now? What would you be planning for your life? I wonder about this a lot

as I navigate through life and all of its twists and turns.