Music in My Heart: My Journey with Melody

On Monday afternoon, we’re back at the church with the Student Walk to Freedom Club. The pile of envelopes on the table makes me proud. Melody licks the last envelope and seals it shut, saying she hopes this works. Yvonne gives a big thank you to all the volunteers. She says that we all did our part to help black students get a good education. They need to learn about leaders in black history. That’s how they begin to believe they can become black leaders, too.

I let Yvonne’s words sink in. I kind of already feel like a leader. Dad would be proud of me for getting involved and for telling Melody’s family what I found in that book instead of pretending I didn’t see. Mom would be proud, too. Then, it hits me how much I miss my parents. It’s time for me to go home.

When everyone leaves the community room, I break the news to Melody. She’s sad, but I think she feels just as good as I do about everything we accomplished together. Melody asks me if I want her to wait here with me until my parents come to pick me up. I tell her that that would just make me more sad. That’s true. Leaving my new friend is hard. But I have to make my goodbye quick, like ripping off a bandage.

So after Melody follows Yvonne up the stairs, I sit down at the piano and hum the melody for “Lift Every Voice.” This time, the voices that float up around we belong to the people I’ve met on my journey: Melody’s pure, sweet voice, and even Lila and Yvonne, doing their sister-thing.

I know I’m home when I hear the ding of my phone. It’s probably Anika, but I don’t have the time to answer. Instead, I fling open my bedroom door and race down the hall. When I see Mom again, I want to tell her that I’m proud of her. I’m proud that she’s a principal and that she fights to make sure kids get a good education. And when Dad gets home, I’ll ask him more about his job. Now I know that girls like Melody and me can make a difference, it makes me wonder what else I can do in my hometown. I hope he’ll be excited to hear me ask that. He’ll have plenty of ideas for me. But I know that I’ll have a few good ideas of my own, too.