Music and its Wonder

I’ve been playing Piano for 5 years and I always seem to forget the joy I get from it when I get so caught up in exams and my studies. Music truly is a beautiful thing that should be admired by everyone. It is not only a hobby that you do in your free time, it is also a passion and an art that inspires and makes you do great and revolutionary things. From experience, I can tell you that music has the power to take you to another world and make you forget your problems for an instant. Music can also help stimulate emotions and bring you up when your down.

I’ve learned a great deal of things from piano that have helped me develop as a person. One of those things is putting myself out there and present myself in front of a crowd of people, something I used to never be able to do. Music also helps develop your memorization and learning skills. Reading music is like reading a new language, and in piano you have to read two lines at the same time for both of your hands! After years of practice, however, you get the hang of it and you slowly realize that your memory and coordination skills improve. Music is just something that has brought some spice in my life and brings joy to many others.

Memorial Day 101

Most of us students know Memorial Day as simply a holiday and a way for us to get out of attending school for a day. In reality, this day has a much greater meaning. Memorial Day is an American holiday observed on the last Monday of May to honor the men and women who have died serving our country in the armed forces. General John A. Logan created “Decoration day” to commemorate the lost lives in the Civil War. As the U.S. took part in numerous other wars, the holiday was changed from solely commemorating soldiers from the Civil War to all the lost lives of all the wars U.S. soldier fought and died in. The name was also changed from “Decoration Day” to “Memorial Day.” Now that we know the historical significance behind Memorial Day, how do people celebrate this holiday throughout the country? Many American observe Memorial Day by having family gatherings, where they barbecue together, visiting cemeteries to honor lost loved ones, and participating in parades. Although my family is not one to have an extravagant celebration for Memorial Day, we make it a point to say a prayer for all the lost lives every Memorial Day. The specific way people observe Memorial Day varies throughout many families, but they all have one thing in common, a true reverence for souls who lost their lives for us in an effort to defend our nation.

Summertime in Orlando: An Invitation for Visitors

As school is ending and summer is just beginning, we Floridians start to see a peak in temperature and rainfall – as well as tourists from all over the world. It’s always wonderful to have visitors at our place, and this weekend we had guests from India stay with us for a bit. My mom’s cousin came to visit us with her family, and it was really nice – since I had never met her kids. I was thrilled to find out that their daughter, Khushi (meaning happiness!) was about as old as I; We could discuss a lot together. I quickly introduced myself to her, while my brother became acquainted with their son, Shlok. Talking to Khushi made me realize how different life in India is for the typical teenager, compared to here in the United States.

After we had dinner, I started to talk to Khushi about their travel plans. Since their family was staying at the Disney Resort, they only stayed with us for one night, but I was able to suggest some of the best attractions in the places they planned to visit. Yesterday, they visited the Kennedy Space Center, and upon returning, Khushi was thrilled to talk about her day. It made me realize that Florida is not all about theme parks – but also nature, science, and history. We sometimes take these other places in Orlando for granted, when they actually have a lot to offer and teach us. Our guests left yesterday after having dinner with us to return to their resort, and prepare for the next few days – when they will be visiting some of the theme parks. I hope they have a wonderful time, and I am looking forward to talking to Khushi again about her experiences.