Dedication
This is my drum. There are many like it, but this one is mine. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me my drum is useless. Without my drum, I am useless. I must play my drum well. I must play better than the enemy who is trying to play better. I must outplay him before he outplays me. I will. My drum and I know that what counts on the field is not the notes we play, the noise of our burst, or the rim shots we make. We know that it our technique that counts. We will play.
My drum is human, even as I am human, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strengths, its parts, its accessories, its rim and its head. I will keep my drum clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other.
Before God I swear this creed. My drum and I are the defenders of my line. We are the masters of our music. We are the saviors of my life.
So be it, until victory is ours and we have no more music to learn.




