When I first heard The Head and The Heart's "Down in the Valley" during my freshman or sophomore year of high school, it was pretty much love at first listen. I remember getting ready for school, Pandora playing on my phone, and hearing the opening guitar riff. The song continued, and I got that lovely flood of overwhelming emotion that you get when you hear something that really impacts you. So, suffice it so say, from that moment on, THATH became one of my favorite bands.
I will admit that in the years after the first time I heard that song, my musical proclivities have strayed a bit. But my great love for The Head and The Heart was rekindled this summer when I was a counselor at a summer camp. At a variety of evening fires, I heard THATH songs that I wasn't familiar with, and my heart was again flooded with that lovely swell of emotion.
So, when my friend at university mentioned THATH was coming to Seattle in November, I was ecstatic. I immediately searched for tickets, only to discover that they were way beyond what my meager college student budget could support. Disheartened, I tried my best to assuage thoughts of the concert from my mind.
On the 5th of November, the day of the concert, I happened to be in Seattle visiting my cousins. And, coincidentally, my university friend who mentioned the concert was also in the city. In the mid-afternoon, I received a Snapchat from her - a photo of her excited face with a caption mentioning she got tickets to (yep, you guessed it) The Head and The Heart concert.
Motivated by a flood of sadness, jealousy, and (mild) rage, I responded with a Snapchat expressing the anger and betrayal I felt. She proceeded to tell me that her and her friend had passed by the theater, and they decided in a moment of spontaneity to buy tickets (which were significantly cheaper than the ones I had found online). I immediately called her and begged her to buy me a ticket (that I would pay her back for, of course). She graciously obliged, and it was confirmed: I was actually going to a THATH concert.
It was one of the loveliest, most magical nights of my life. They were incredible. By the end of the concert, basically everyone in the audience was teary eyed, starstruck by the beauty and magic that is THATH.
As I've listened to THATH songs since the concert, I've realized that one of the reasons I love them so much is that their lyrics are inspiring and encouraging, and yield some really valuable lessons and reminders about the beauty and value of the simple things in life.
So, here are some life lessons, as told by a variety of The Head and The Heart lyrics:
1. "The world's just spinning a little too fast // If things don't slow down soon we might not last // So just for a moment, let's be still"
It's so easy to get swept up in life's chaos. But it is so incredibly important to take a breather, to be still and recognize all of the beauty that gets lost in the commotion.
2. "The sun still rises, even through the rain"
Honestly, sometimes life really sucks. When storms come our way, when we are bogged down by trials and struggles, it can be incredibly difficult to find a sliver of hope, to see a glimpse of light in the darkness. But, no matter how dark and stormy life gets, we can find assurance in the fact that the sun will always rise.
3. "Ten thousand weight in gold never feels like treasure until you lose it all"
I often find myself losing sight of all of the wonderful and beautiful blessings in my life. It is so important to recognize and acknowledge the good things because they can easily be lost.
4. "I can see the sunshine's rays gleaming through the clear water // Telling me you gotta hop in for this chapter's ride // There will always be better days"
When we take time to recognize the simple beauties of life amidst the struggles, we can find hope in the fact that better days are to come.
5. "We must strive to be, be like the moon // To be kind"
Sometimes, as we become consumed with our own lives, we can forget how to treat people, how to love people in the best way we can. Being kind and valuing the existence of others is essential.
