This Little Light of Mine

Music therapy is often being mixed up with music education. While a music educator imparts musical knowledge, a music therapist teaches life skills through music.

One of my music therapy professor once told us in class that, "I think I've learned more from them (children/clients) than what I've taught them."

Back then, it didn't cross my mind how this sentence would impact me. As I learned more about music therapy, getting to be involved in the children's lives, knowing what it really takes to be a music therapist, it's as if my dimmed light bulb was suddenly lighted today, cause... I experienced it myself. 

Today, I understood what my professor was trying to say. I understood what exactly what she meant when she said that.

6 years ago, the doctor said that he wasn't going to live long. He was a typical child for 8 years and he lost his motor skills, communication skills because of a rare disease. He couldn't talk. He couldn't walk. He couldn't move. Today, he was still surviving. 

Name all the couldn't s that you can think of and he'll easily fall into those categories.

This is what I really like about music therapy. It's not about looking at what one can't do, but rather what they can do. 

One of the biggest lesson that I've learned from music therapy was that, it's the little things that count. Even if it's just a simple high 5, establishing an eye contact with you, being alert of his/her surroundings. 

I saw his fighting spirit. I saw how strong he was, his determination, his will power. Even just a smile, even just an attempt to vocalize or even just a simple eye contact. Day by day, even though his days were said to be numbered, I saw his improvement. I saw hope.

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna make it shine, this little light of mine, I'm gonna make it shine.. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine....."

I will never ever forget how he smiled when he heard this song that his mom used to sing to him when he was a little boy. A sincere smile that comes from the heart, a smile that makes all the hard work worth it. 

A smile that I'll never, ever, forget. 

Thanks kiddo.

Thanks for giving me the honor to be part of your life, even if it's just a little part of it. 

Thanks for teaching me how to observe all the little details.

Thanks for showing what living a life means.

All in all, thank you Jesus for allowing me to experience this when I was having the thought of giving up, when I thought that it was all impossible for an introverted person like me to ace in this major. 

Enough of thinking of all the possibilities of failing, time to make all the impossible, possible through Jesus.

If there's one sentence to summarize everything, it would definitely be this. 

Living everyday like it's your last. 

You never know what's gonna happen next, do you? 

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I'll boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9