Professional musicians don't make much money. I'm talking classical musicians, not rappers and red carpet celebrities.

Why do I play? Because it helps.

I could be an athlete. I could make it to the Olympics if I tried hard enough. But I don't want to. I'm not athletically gifted. Music is my sport, my diversion from reality.

It gives me power. It lets me control how I want my own personal fairy tale to end. My music changes with my mood- it's flexible. It isn't uptight and strict like my teachers and parents. If I want disappointment, it lets me have it. If I want joy, I get it. I get my way, which is more than I can say for reality.

Music isn't notes on a page. It isn't tempos and instruments. Music, real music, is emotion, color. It's snapshots of life, moments we look back on and say, "Oh! Remember that?"

Music is whatever you make it.

What melody does your heart play?