Came a Long Way

Early on a January morning in 2018, at the start of a new school year, my beloved Suzi Suzuki Alto sat in neutral. After reversing out of our complex we wait for the gates to close, a necessary security measure.

While Suzi idled on the road and I yawned, I saw a boy in the same school uniform my youngest son wears walk out of the adjacent complex.

Ask him if he wants a lift, said I to Jee (who always sits straight and sleepy in the front passenger seat). Jee opened his door and used his considerable voice, You want a lift?

And so we met Musa.

Musa sat silent and still on the back seat. We were happy to have him there for many reasons:

• being helpful feels good
• Jee was in a new town, going to a new school (his first year at high school). The heavy alienation he’d been feeling was lightened by Musa’s presence
• we had no friends (Jee remedied the ‘no friends’ situation within a week)
• Musa is the same age as my eldest son and in the same grade. Having him in the car had the strange, pleasing effect of easing, somewhat, the ache and void of not having my other son, Jee’s older brother, living with us

Time passed and with it the initial awkwardness, ushering in conversation and a big grin that revealed a great sense of humor.

Musa climbs in the car in the morning, and again in the afternoon for the trip home. When he can, he pops in to ‘hang’ with Jee. They’re friends, despite the uncool age gap of about three years.

Why am I telling you this?

Because Musa quietly – with gritty determination, courage, hard work and passion – pursues what ignites him, what makes his soul sing.

Very, very limited resources didn’t stop him from taking his talent, blending it with his personal battles, and creating music.

He raps, mixing his sounds (and making a video) with the help of a friend who knows about rough times too.

Using the raw materials available to him, he refuses to be discouraged.

He’s polite and appreciative.

He has come a long way in his short life.

If you want to hear about Musa in Musa’s words (and add to the support he deserves, even if rap it not your thing) please watch and share with flamboyance (the vital part) his videos.

Here’s a window on his world (and ours; the video was shot in the neighborhood).

My Way (my favorite) plus Ferrari Dreams.

You can subscribe to Musa’s Mac Arie YouTube channel if you want to be alerted when he uploads again (soon, I believe).

Thank you, my beautiful people.

xxx❤TeaShell