It's a long story so I won't go into it, but basically within the first two weeks of my internship, everyone at work found out that I could sing. And I was embarrassed that my secret got out. My boss asked me why I sing and I tried to come up with a really good justification. But then he answered for me. "Because you like to. Because you want to. Right? That's important to say."
And I though, Huh. Yeah, I guess you're right. I guess because I haven't really owned it yet, I often feel like an imposter, like I don't deserve to sing and I should keep it to myself. So then when people find out, I get embarrassed and feel like I have to explain myself. I'd never considered that I could say, "Because I enjoy it" and leave it at that.
Fast forward to this evening, when I walk into a gift shop to buy the thing that I always buy for myself when I travel to a different country. The shop is tiny and is run by a kind Indian man. When I walk in there's large screen in the corner playing a music video, featuring a man singing in a language that I don't understand.
"That's me," the shopowner says. "That's my video. I sing in French too, for Les Bleus even." And then he precedes to play a song of his recorded in French, and tell me all about how he sings what he wants, when he wants, whether people like it or not.
He runs the store.
He chooses what music to play.
He plays his own music.
He tells customers about it, whether they ask or not.
He sings because he wants to, and that reason alone is enough.
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