At my house, I was getting ready to go to a contest. I walked out-

side, across the street since there were no cars going across the road. I


found myself in the hospital because a car hit me. My mom told me I had

been in the hospital for a month. Once I got approval from the doctor to

go home my mom took me home in her car.


For the first time in a month I ran into my bedroom, inside was all

these balloons and flowers that had get well soon on them. The moment

I saw those balloons and flowers I started to cry. I never noticed how much

people cared about me. I had been in the hospital for so long, I haven't seen

my friends. When I was standing in front of my bed, I looked to my right

and there was my violin, but it wasn't the same since the last time I saw it.


My mom walked in and saw me looking at my violin. She told me

if I try I can get on top. I thought about it for awhile then I grabbed my

violin and held it. As I stroked my finger along it, I realized that if it wasn't

for that contest a month ago, I wouldn't of been in the hospital. I took one


more look at the violin then put it back down.


That night I got ready to go to bed and I got under the covers. Once

I looked over at the violin and thought about what my mom had told me. I

understood what she told me, but I couldn't do it. I'm not ready to do any-

thing with the violin. The next day I woke up and I found my friends

Tuesday and Katherine standing in front of my bed. They told me I needed

to get up and play. Tuesday told me I needed to trust myself and Katherine

told me I needed to be confident in myself. At that moment I looked down

at the violin and told them I wasn't ready yet.


The two of them left and told me they understood. In the middle

of the day I took my violin and slid the bow across the strings. It was a

sound and it meant a lot to me since it was the first time I played since the

accident. Before I knew it I was in the living room playing for neighbors.

One of them said I should go to the world wide violin competition.

I thought about it for awhile and decided to go for it.


I went to my friends house and told them the news. They went

with me to the violin complex to sign up. Once we arrived there I told

them I was from the town Bonney, and they asked me if I was

the girl that got hurt and I said yes. They gave me my information for the

contest and we all left. Once we left the building I felt good about myself.

I never thought I would start back up again.



As soon as I got home, Katherine and I went into my bedroom and

Katherine began to look around my room. She saw a paper on the wall

and she told me she couldn't believe I was the youngest person to make it

into the finals. I told her I wouldn't be that good again but she still thought

I could. Then it came time for her to go home and she told me to believe

in myself. I knew I was in over my head but I had to find out what I was

capable of. Around noon I went with my dad to pick out some solo music

for the contest. We searched all over the Music World store but we

couldn't find one until I turned my head. There the piece was, very active

and beautifully written. I looked at the price tag and it said fifty dollars

and only one copy was left. Once I turned around the sales person was

standing there looking at me. She told me that the piece was for

professionals and it would be extremely hard.


I told her I am going to be able to play that piece so I bought it. My

dad wasn't sure I was ready for the hard piece yet, so he tried to hide it. A


while before I got home my dad reminded me that winning is great but you

don't have to win to be a winner. So once I got home I pranced into my

bedroom and gently grabbed my violin. I began to look over the music

and I noticed that the person that wrote the piece, “Follow and Trust Me”

had the same last name as me. I asked my parents and they said he was

my great, great grandfather. By him writing the piece it truly inspired

me to be a great violin player. At that moment, I decided to play this piece

of music for him and also in remembrance of him.


Since I've looked through the piece I noticed that there was a lot of

different feelings and moods in the piece. The piece is really exciting and

interactive. Every time someone comes over I play the piece for them and

I really love the sound of the music. If I missed something I would start

over. I really wanted to have the piece perfect when I played it for anyone.


Unfortunately, the day of the contest came and I couldn't get over how

fast it had come. I dressed pretty and picked up my friend Tuesday to help

me be calm. Once we got to the contest I signed my name in. I felt ready

and my parents were telling me I was ready, but something was missing.

Then everything got better because Katherine, Tuesday, and my parents

were here to support me.


Tuesday told me to trust myself, Katherine told me to smile,

and my parents told me to just have fun. All those things I needed to pay

attention to because they were all important. Then someone called my

name. This was my time to shine and play my best. When I went in the

judging room, there were four judges behind a curtain. I was a nervous

wreck until I remembered what my parents and friends said.


The judges told me I could start playing, so I did. As I played the

song, “Follow and Trust Me” I remembered memories, some good, bad

and even sad. But a little bit of good in each memory. I kept wondering

what the judges thought of me because they didn't stop writing. At the

moment I stopped playing. I realized I played a really difficult song and I

didn't give up.


I walked out of the room and everyone rose up in front of me and told

me how proud they were. I was glad that I played and I never felt better.

The judges came out and handed out trophy's and ribbons. They placed me

in second place. I was so happy, excited and not disappointed at all. My

parents and friends congratulated me and then we headed for home.


Once we got home from the contest I placed my ribbon and trophy

in the trophy rock. My mom walked over to me and told me that my

great, great grandfather would be proud of me. I will play better now from

here on. Since then I always have believed in myself and received advice

from my family. I always tell myself, if I practice and believe I will

achieve.