One Simple Word

Yes. 3 simple letters make up one simple word that you learn early on in life. It's crazy to think that such a simple arrangement of letters and sounds can mean so much to people. There are so many instances in my young life where, if I had not said yes, I would have gone down a very different path, and, because of that, this will probably end up being one of those cheesy pieces that teachers and the elderly gobble right up. So, yeah. Just a warning. On a daily basis, the opportunity to say the word yes arises quite frequently. We can say yes when a teacher asks if you have your homework (maybe 'no' is a better word for this scenario, actually), if you want a piece of candy, if you just feel like yelling something motivational, if you want to join something, or if you're giving your consent for anything, whether it be for intimate relationships or simply using your name in a report for English class. A yes please moment can make or break your life and, on occasion, determines the path your life will take. Now, because I am a total nerd, all of my yes please moments deal with school-related things. Actually, I take that back. Once, when I was a little kid, my mom asked me if I wanted a grilled cheese sandwich. I said, yes please! Grilled cheese sandwiches now have a special place in my heart. Yet, as profoundly important as that moment was in my life, it was not the biggest 'yes please' moment I have experienced.

The biggest yes please moment began in the fall of 2010. I had just started fifth grade (and, for the record, felt very, very cool with my t-shirt that had a picture of hi-top sneakers on it) and I was finally old enough to join the school band, which I had been waiting to do ever since I knew what it was. Even in the first few months of playing the flute, I gained a lot of confidence and made some new friends. But then, later that spring, I had to make a choice about whether to continue on with band throughout middle school. In retrospect, the choice was obvious. But, at the time, not so much. I had no idea what to expect in middle school and thought band would be a burden, honestly. I though it would be wicked hard and would take up the time I would need to do the mountains of homework you get in middle school (since entering high school this fall, my definition of 'mountains of homework' has changed a great deal). But, I realized, I really, really loved being in the band. I loved the rehearsals and the feeling you get when you know you finally masted the difficult note or the impossible melody. The feeling of belonging and being in a group, a feeling I, like most people, crave, was worth any amount of homework I'd have to conquer and free time I would give up in order to continue to do it. So, when asked to fill out a form choosing band, chorus, or other at the end of fifth grade, I checked off the little 'yes' box under band. Honestly? Best decision I ever made. It was a total blast. The music was challenging, yet intriguing and easy to learn. We went to competitions and did really well, and went to 6 Flags to celebrate after. I have amazing memories from those trips, including (but not limited to) oddities such as squid hats, banana glasses, and 6-pound bags of candy, eaten in its entirety by four people on a two hour bus trip in 90-degree weather. The director was a friendly, clever, really funny, and genuinely inspiring human being, and she made sure everyone got a chance to participate and have fun doing it. We were never pressured to be perfect, only to do our best and, most importantly, have fun. My friends and I also became closer after deciding to continue with band. Not only did we spend a lot more time together, we also learned how to listen. See, in band, you need to listen to everyone else in your section and all of the other sections, too, in order the group as a whole to play the song right. If you only listen to yourself, it all falls apart. You could be going to fast or to slow or not really getting it at all. My friends and I applied this lesson to our friendship, and, as painfully corny as it may sound, it helped it blossom from the human equivalent of what could potentially turn into dead, withering stem into a blooming bouquet of flowers. Simply by listening to each other, we became closer then ever before because we all got to share our side of the story and solved any underlying problems that could get us offbeat and screw up the tune. Band was something that was always there for me and that I could always count on in my life when everything else was a complete and total mess. If I hadn't made the decision to continue with band, I can honestly say I don't know if I would have the amazing friends that I have or the confidence I gained to do just about everything I do today-oral presentations, standing up for myself, talking loud enough to be heard, or ordering my own food at a restaurant, which I (embarrassingly) used to be petrified of. I learned to laugh at myself and to stay calm in large crowds people staring at you like a hawk and listening more closely than an owl on the hunt for field mice. These skills and all the other ones band taught me (especially the one that taught me that eating like 4 pounds of candy on a bus with 70 people on it in the middle of June is an absolutely horrible idea) will get me far in life, and I'm grateful that I said yes and learned them early on.