People
Following Her Passion
Melanie has been making music since she was three years old, when her foster mom first taught her to sing.
Her love for music continues to this day: Melanie not only sings solo, she sings in choirs, writes her own music, and has a recording to her name.
“I feel passionate about music and writing,” Melanie says. “It is a way to help me express my emotions.”
Melanie recently moved to Abbotsford from Langley, into a home facilitated by Communitas. She wasn’t sure about the move at first, since it would take her farther away from her family, but she has since come to love her home.
“I enjoy the freedoms here and the decisions I get to make,” she says. “The staff are so kind, I feel heard and respected. It really feels like this is my home.”
Nathaniel is the manager of the home that Melanie shares with two others. He remembers Melanie’s nervousness about making the move but says since then, Melanie has become an active member here.
“Melanie is flourishing, discovering that she has many more freedoms and is able to live an abundant life,” Nathaniel says. “She is a wonderful person to have in the home.”
Faith and music are an integral part of Melanie’s life; she can often be heard praying and singing with staff and her housemates.
Melanie keeps her music skills honed through lessons done with Leana, her voice teacher of many years. She also sings in her church choir at St. Ann’s Catholic Church. Barbara, the choir director, connects with Leanna so that Melanie can rehearse the choir music during their online voice lessons.
“I love singing with the choir at St. Ann’s,” Melanie says. “And everybody loves me there!”
Most of her original songs are a reflection of her faith and the people she loves. She’s written songs for family members, friends, and even her doctor. One of her most personal songs is called “Letting Me Live” and was written to honour Hope for Women, an organization offering pregnancy support for women.
The song is a reflection of her personal journey. Melanie is blind and lives with Cerebral Palsy. Her parents were unable to care for her but she is grateful that her birth mother chose to give Melanie life, placing her with a loving foster family. The refrain of her song says it all:
I’m so glad to survive
So happy to really be alive
I have a lot of joy to really give
Thank you, God and mom, for letting me live
To anyone who is thinking about following their dreams, Melanie has this advice to offer.
“Keep at it,” she says. “Don’t give up when you run into hard issues, just follow your passion.”
One of Melanie’s goals is to write a book about what it’s like to live with Cerebral Palsy.
“I’d love to do an Audible book and then include music with it as well,” she says.
Given her passion for life and for music, it’s not hard to imagine Melanie achieving this goal and more. For now, Melanie continues to use her gifts to bless others and is grateful for every moment she has to live and bring joy to those around her.
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