I believe in singing. I believe in the feeling of losing your inhibitions and making a total fool out of yourself.


One night while attending sleep away camp the counselors brought out these big black karaoke stereos and screens. We were told to pick a song to perform. Perusing through the list of song choices, one in particular stuck out to me. A few minutes later, I walked onto the shaky wooden stage. I began to sing. “She’s into superstitions, black cats and voodoo dolls. I feel a premonition, that girl is gonna make me fall”.


I was Ricky Martin, Livin La Vida Loca.


I was embarrassing myself like I never had before. The sniggering was clearly audible from the audience. My voice was unbearably bad. I didn’t care. It was the one time I had truly felt myself. I was alive, embracing every flaw my voice contained.


So many times people are afraid to show themselves for who they really are. We put on fronts pretending to be someone we are not. When we sing we are vulnerable, allowing people to see our faces getting red from embarrassment. We allow them to hear our strained voices. We are free from the societal constraints that so many times that restrict us from showing our true personality.

Our biggest fear is being ourselves- will someone judge me? Will he hate me? Will she talk about me? When I sing I am so lost in my horrendous and scratchy voice that I just don’t care. I’m free to be myself. I become so lost and absorbed in the melody and lyrics, that I am indifferent to what people say or think about me. When I sing I show people who I really am, and what I’m about. And that feeling is amazing.