I recently had the amazing experience of going to Paris, France with my older sibling and parents. We had a great time in Europe but this particular moment was when we were in the Paris Airport, waiting to board our plane home.

We walking to make our gate, and right off of one of those moving walk-ways was a beautiful, white grand piano. I quickly glided over to it and sat down. After playing a few chords up and down it to check how tuned it was, I started to play.

I played a few of my compositions and soon, on hearing my music, my family came over. My mom laughed because I had complained earlier in the trip that it had been a couple of days since I had tickled the ivories. At this point, a few people had stopped their airport travels and were listening to me play so my mom suggested I play a song that people might know. I quickly chose the Irish hymn 'Be Thou My Vision'. I had been creating a rendition of it anyway and I wanted to hear how it sounded on a grand with the acoustics in the airport.

While I was playing, a man came up to listen and stood there for the duration of the piece and was still standing there after I finished and walked away. As I played, I saw tears come to his eyes. I kept playing and by the end, I could see that he had been visibly moved by the hymn. I was talking with my parents after about it and about how music and move people and I decided that, from then on, I would use my talents to bless and uplift others.

“Music acts like a magic key, to which the most tightly closed heart opens.” 

― Maria von Trapp

What if we could fight hate, malice, and envy with the power of good music? I think we can.