**Diary Entry**
Sometimes life throws unexpected gifts our way. My story began one night as I slept, while my dear friend asked me questions I answered in my dreams. Once, she whispered, “What would you want mosta Bentley or some other luxury car?” Half-asleep, I mumbled, “A saxophone.” The next morning, she told me about it, and that small, seemingly trivial midnight conversation changed my life forever.
Id always been a huge fan of Eric Clapton and The Beatlesrock music was my passion. Yet, the guitar never quite felt like *mine*. Music mattered deeply, but the instrument had to be the one that truly spoke to my soul. And then it struck me: *Why not a saxophone?* It seemed an odd choice, yet undeniably right.
From that moment, everything shifted. I took up the sax, attended workshops, and studied at the Royal Academy. Music became my true calling. Over the years, Ive been fortunate to perform alongside legends like John Coltrane and Jamie Cullum. Those encounters taught me that music isnt just techniqueits a universal language, a way to connect beyond words.
Yet these past few years, Ive spent my days busking on the streets of London. Today, Im one of the last street musicians left in England. Once, passersby would stop, listen, and leave a few pounds. Now, most walk past as if Im invisible. Still, I wont give up. I play on because music *is* life itself.
At 72, I still take my sax to the streets, even when its barely five degrees outside. Its hard, yes, but theres harmony in itthe music fuels me, and the occasional listener who pauses for a moment gives me the will to keep going. Every note, every breath through the sax is a piece of my soul, shared whether they realise it or not.
Musicespecially the saxhas taught me patience, discipline, and honesty. Busking strips away the glamourno stage, no spotlights, just you, your instrument, and the hum of the city. In that simplicity lies something beautiful: a raw, genuine exchange. It reminds me that musics purpose isnt applause or awards, but the chance to touch hearts, to pause lifes relentless rush, even briefly.
I often think back to that night, to the drowsy whisper about a saxophone. Whod have guessed one sleep-slurred word would reshape my entire life? It led me herea musician, filled with countless moments of joy and hundreds of extraordinary encounters.
Perhaps life isnt about what you own, but what you *do*. Sometimes answers come unexpectedlythrough a dream, a fleeting sign, or the people who understand you. My saxophone story is one of passion, perseverance, and the truth that its never too late to follow your calling.
The world changes, people grow hurried, but music remains. It unites, heals, and inspires. Im grateful to still play, to step outside even in the cold, and to see that sliver of musical magic reach someone passing by. Because music *is* lifeand as long as I can breathe notes through this sax, Im alive, full of energy, full of joy.
