Roses Underneath the Snow: A Journey of Self-Discovery

As you take your place on stage, you feel the butterflies of the upcoming performance.  The lights are dim, save for the single spotlight, the audience awaits in quiet anticipation, and the song begins with that first guitar strum.  The hints of fear that initially commandeered your body’s adrenaline become steadied by the knowledge that you’ve once again arrived at one of the few places where you can be fearlessly honest.

There’s a lot to be said for the courage it takes to perform one’s own music for an audience.  Though, if you want to capture the complete essence of one’s soul, you must also observe them in the absence of the lights and camera.  Singer/Songwriter, Sasha Aaron, shines brightly in both of these environments.

With two EPs under her belt, a televised performance with Clint Black, and a full length album set for release early this year, Sasha values the importance of being honest in her writing.  “I first started writing and playing because I wanted to share the human connection on a deeper level with those around me,” said Sasha.  To that end, she regularly volunteers with Musicians on Call (MOC), an organization that brings music to the bedsides of hospital patients.

After months of being on a long volunteer waiting list, Sasha is now a regular volunteer with MOC.  She visits a health care facility each month, playing for patients and their families at numerous facilities around Nashville, including physical rehabilitation centers, cancer centers and the VA.  “It really makes my day to bring smiles to people’s faces and some even dance in their beds!” says Sasha.

Given her natural inclination to connect with and help others, it was no surprise learning that one of Sasha’s first volunteer efforts after moving to Nashville was with Soldiers and Families Embraced (SAFE).  SAFE provides U.S. Military veterans with no-cost support services.  The organization offers individual and group counseling services, as well as peer support groups for veterans.  In this capacity, Sasha had the unique opportunity to work with a fellow songwriter and with a veteran on a songwriting project, wherein they told the veteran’s story.

[pull_quote_right] “So much of life is about self-discovery, and I felt that journey beginning when I first picked up the guitar”[/pull_quote_right]“We had the opportunity to perform the song with him here locally, and it was a very moving experience to have his family and other veterans there,” Sasha said.  It is this type of connection Sasha strives to evoke and share with listeners through her writing.  “So much of life is about self-discovery, and I felt that journey beginning when I first picked up the guitar,” Sasha recounted.  Admittedly a bit of a loner when she was growing up, Sasha found solace through music, poetry, and ultimately performing.  The performing began in coffee shops in Miami and has led her to live concerts, televised broadcasts, and even a regular show at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe.

Even though many elements of Sasha’s career showcase her talents in the limelight, it is clear through talking with her how her humility and desire to remain honest keep her centered.  Her desire to have a positive impact on those around her is motivated by her hope and faith in the love of mankind.

Use your talents to help others

Find out about volunteer opportunities with Musicians on Call at musiciansoncall.org.

Find out about volunteer opportunities with SAFE at soldiersandfamiliesembraced.org.

In our journeys of self-discovery, we experience pain and heartache along the way.  Many times, we are tempted to use what we perceive as our failures to become our boundaries, allowing these experiences to undermine our need to connect with others.  Sasha recognizes these experiences as opportunities for growth and invitations to seek the silver lining.

In her song “I See Roses,” Sasha writes,

“I see roses…red red roses,
Underneath the snow.
I see roses…red red roses,
And I don’t feel, so cold.”

As we enter the final month of winter, we’ve had a couple snows here in Nashville, and maybe where you live as well.  In what ways will you seek to find the red roses underneath the snow?

 

Get involved and be about change by subscribing now

[mc4wp_form id=”2866″]