and all the while I would have never thought
that you would be the one to save me from the fog that
kept me stuck inside the rut of abusive affairs

Use all the combinations of consonants,
Blends, short and long i's;
Try intonation or diphthongs;
Resort to linguists;
Spell in Welsh.
You can't approximate
The muted sound
Of a breaking heart.

The best part about high school band
Is not the trophies
The awards and medals and ribbons
Those things are great, but there’s more to it
The best part about high school band
Is not the stadium lights
Late nights spent laying on the warm turf during water breaks
The August heat and November snow
These things are wonderful, but there’s more to it
The gift of being able to hold an instrument in your hand
And produce the sound of the human soul
You are able to create an unforgettable experience
for hundreds and thousands of people
Simply with the breath in your lungs and the apparatus in your hands
This is the best part about high school band
You have the ability to combine notes and rhythms and chords
And bring tears out of the eyes of the audience in the process
Cherish this gift, for not all will have the chance to possess it
You’ll forget the scores and placements and how tall the trophies stood
but you’ll remember the power, the family, the passion
Hold tightly to these things, because four years will flash before your eyes
And you will miss it more than you could have ever imagined

Dear Cody,
You have been and always will be my brother, filled and overflowing with love I could never comprehend.

Dear Tim,
You are my protector, my safeguard and stronghold, seeking justice when you know injustice is present.

Dear Paul,
Joy radiates from your smile, and you chose to smile despite everything you've been through.

Dear Micheal,
I'll always cherish the years we had together, though I wish you were sitting next to me on the piano bench instead of a prison cell.

Dear Ty,
Originality and authenticity are difficult to find these days. May you never lose that spirit.

Dear A.J.,
I've never met a man who stood so strongly by his convictions. I hope we can make music together again someday.

Dear Ben,
Thank you for the years of consistent handshakes and hugs. I could never articulate with words how much they've meant to me.

Dear Brigham,
The love you want so badly to give away could overflow the oceans. Never stop being reckless.

Dear Cole,
After three years of painful silence, reconnection with you is the sweetest redemption I've tasted yet.

For all:
Now go, conquer the world, follow your convictions, keep your candles burning, fuel your own flame, and spread the love you posses like wildfire.

Dear Micheal,
I'll always cherish the years we had together
Filled with heavy metal music and terrible singing sessions
Though I wish you were sitting next to me on the piano bench
Instead of a prison cell

You remind me of my younger self
With a heart as big as the moon
Eager to reflect the sun
The son of the God you are singing to
Eyes closed
One arm reaching to the sky
As if Jesus is an arm’s length away
You remind me of my younger self
The love of music is evident
In the way you play the keys
And sing with smiling eyes
The way I used to
Heels pounding to the beat of the drum
Head tapping to the rhythm of bass
Fiery passion flowing through your veins
A passion I lost long ago
A passion that bled and burnt out
Until I couldn’t feel the music anymore
And I hope you end up the girl I always imagined myself to be
While the music has seeped back into my skin
The fire never ignited again
Don’t let it burn out
Fuel your own flame
Surround yourself with those who would do the same