As we grow up, the world starts to expect us to know exactly who we are, and the pressure to have an identity that fits in with the rest of the world only intensifies with time. When I was younger, I did not have an exact answer to who I was (in many ways, I still don’t), but I began to discover pieces of myself through the things that allowed me to express what I couldn't simply put into words. When I found figure skating, I knew I had found something that felt authentic to me. Everything about it made the world around me melt away, but my favorite part was the music. Since I was 9, I watched my skating role models connect to their music, embodying their pieces through every movement, down to even the slightest twitches of their fingers. I found myself listening to classical music constantly, imagining myself skating to a program as intricate and beautiful as theirs. While I was passionate about all kinds of music, I felt most connected to the classical music that accompanied so many figure skating programs.
When I suffered a permanent back injury and was no longer able to skate the way I once could, I was crushed. Whenever I stepped onto the ice, instead of everything melting away, I began to fear every movement I made, terrified that I would feel another sharp pain down my spine. I knew I would not be able to continue my vigorous training, and so I stopped skating. However, despite losing my sport, my connection to that part of myself has persisted through the classical music I listen to every day. Through music, I am able to find myself back on the ice and remember who I was and still am today.
Expressing yourself is difficult, and mental health is deeply connected to having a sense of who you are. Because music and creativity became such important parts of my individuality, I was able to experience something as joyful as skating in the first place and still feel tied to that part of myself today. Music has helped my mental health tremendously, and without it, I am not sure who I would be today.
Everyone deserves a chance to have creativity in their lives, whether for mental health purposes or simply for enjoyment. The Heart and Mind Foundation makes it their mission to seek out people who lack these opportunities and give them a way to express themselves, too. I am still figuring out exactly who I am, but music has taught me that identity isn't something I need to have entirely defined. Instead, it can be an infinite process of discovery through the things that bring me joy.
— Aliza Virji
