As a young band director in South Georgia, I thought I had my life figured out. I had a new job, a new place, and I thought I knew what I was doing but it quickly became apparent that I was in over my head. I was struggling to keep up and felt like I was failing my students.

To be honest, in my heart of hearts, I knew that my true calling was to make a living as a professional freelance musician. But I thought that was only for the few talented people with "super powers." I felt trapped in my career and couldn't afford to leave it.

To make matters worse, I had stopped practicing my own instrument. I was so focused on making a living that I neglected the thing I loved most. I felt like a failure, like my best days were behind me.

Then, a car accident threatened to take music away from me forever. It was a dark time, but it was also the beginning of a new chapter in my life.

Want to know what happened next? Stay tuned for the next installment of my story…