08/05/2026
There’s not a guide to navigating the loss I experienced this year. It’d be fruitless to try and provide one beyond saying - lean on your people. I’ve watched others experience the same, with the same ambiguity and lack of closure. We weren’t the first and won’t be the last, but I hope it’s known that even though there are a finite amount of people that have gone through this, they’re kind-hearted enough to help others through too.
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This year has been full of reflection, swallowing some hard truths, coming to my own conclusions when none made themselves available, but slowly accepting the warm understanding that the best is yet to come.
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I made a choice to do something different for myself this Summer. It’s hard to grow, it’s hard to try something new, but it’s lead to clarity and peace after years of moving faster than my own mind could process. It’s given me time to look back on all the goodness that’s come of my last 11 years in the marching arts. I’ve been able to watch so many past students on the field not just this Summer, but since I started teaching; students that made it to the next group up, to the dream group, finalists, medalists, champions, Sanford winners. It fills me with pride to have even been part of the journey. If you’re a past student reading this - holy smokes, kid, I’m proud to know you. Good skill to every performer taking the field tomorrow. This weekend is about you, not anyone else.
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Spectating from afar has been healing for me, to gain a more objective lens and just remember my own love of the game. It’s been good to rest and recharge and redirect my own energy into contributing in a way that I can better sustain.
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I’ll be done when I’m ready to be done. The best is yet to come.