In the summer of 2023, I spent two months filming a group of autistic children every week. The invitation came from my piano teacher Ms. Lu—she was the therapist who’d helped me overcome my dyslexia with music therapy when I was little. Now, she’s extending that same warmth to these autistic kids through music, and she asked me to document their rehearsal journey for a video to screen at their public performance.
Behind the camera, I often saw my younger self—the child who once needed gentle support too. Every practice session, every small progress the kids made, touched me deeply. When the performance day arrived, my edited video played, and watching the children shine on stage, I could barely hold back tears. The show was a huge success.
More than just a performance, it raised public awareness for special needs children. In that moment, I felt the full circle of healing—once the one being helped, now helping amplify their voices. It was a summer that reminded me how music, and care, can light up lives and connect hearts.
