Ode to Joy

Before I was a song or a poem, I was just a feeling. I am the twinkle in your eye when you laugh, the warmth of a big hug, and the happy flutter you get when you see a friend. I was a feeling just waiting for someone to give me a voice. In 1785, a kind poet named Friedrich Schiller did just that. He dreamed of a world where everyone could be friends, and he wrote down his dream in a poem. He called me 'An die Freude,' which is German for 'To Joy.' He gave me words, but I still didn't have my music. My journey was just beginning.

Many years later, a famous composer named Ludwig van Beethoven found my words. He was a brilliant musician who was working on his biggest piece of music ever, his Ninth Symphony. A sad thing was happening to him, though. He was losing his hearing and couldn't listen to music the way you can. But he didn't need to hear with his ears, because he could feel the music deep inside his heart. He read my words about friendship and happiness and knew they were exactly what his music needed. He decided that for the very first time, a symphony should have people singing. On May 7th, 1824, in a giant, fancy hall in Vienna, Austria, I was finally heard. A huge orchestra played loud, beautiful music, and then a choir of singers stood up and sang my words. I am the Ode to Joy, and on that day, I filled the whole room with happiness.

From that very first performance, my song traveled all over the world. I became a tune that people sang when they felt hopeful and a melody they played to celebrate friendship. When a big wall that divided a city called Berlin finally came down in 1989, people played my music to celebrate being together again. In 1985, a group of countries called the European Union decided I would be their special song, or anthem, to show they were working together in peace. My music is simple enough for a child to hum, but my message is big enough for the whole world. I remind everyone that joy can connect us all, no matter where we come from. I am a song that belongs to everyone, a reminder that friendship can make our world a much brighter place.