I decided to join my school band in 5th grade and chose to play the trumpet, despite it being an old, worn instrument that had been passed down from her uncle and brother. While she was initially teased for its dull appearance, she gained popularity from being one of the only girl trumpet players in the highly regarded marching band. Though she was not very skilled, being in the band gave her confidence and respect as well as opportunities to travel. She learned to make the most of what she had available and that good things can come from bad situations.

1. LESSONS FROM AN OLD TRUMPET
I was in the 5th grade when I decided that I wanted to be in the school band. I don’t
recall what my motivation was, but I stayed in band throughout the rest of my
school years. I said I wanted to play clarinet, but my mother convinced me to play
trumpet since my older brother and my uncle played it also. My parents said it
would be kind of nice to see a girl who played trumpet, and I knew that I would
become popular with the kids if I did. I was right, but there was one hitch.
I failed to realize that if your grown uncle played an instrument, and it was later
passed down to your older brother, it would have a bit of wear and tear. All of the
valves and slides worked on it, and it played satisfactorily, but the bell of the
trumpet had turned downward noticeably over the course of time, and the brass
shine turned into a dull tone. I knew that it wasn’t new, but I took it to class and
played in all the events for 8 years. Initially, I was teased about it, but the teasing
subsided quite a bit when other girls realized that some guys thought that a girl
trumpeter was cool. Hell, I had game and didn’t even know it.
I wasn’t even the best trumpeter on the squad. Honestly, I wasn’t very good at
all. I actually hated that trumpet, but I liked the popularity it gave me by allowing me
to play in one of the best marching bands in the state of Georgia, the Marching
Bulldogs. Being a part of the Bulldog squad gave me the much-needed confidence I
needed, and slowly pulled me out of my silence. I had been involved in clubs before,
mostly academic, but they were also small groups with little exposure. Being a
Bulldog meant that upperclassmen would give you some respect, and you would get
to go on trips out of town to other schools, including a college or two. For a
freshman, THAT was a huge deal.
I haven’t picked up an instrument since I graduated high school, but I did learn a
few things from that old trumpet. First, you learn to work with what you have.
Second, you learn that good things can come out a seemingly bad situation. And
lastly, all that glitters is not gold, nor brass.