Music is an incredible thing. As Corban's band director explained in a recent chapel, music brings us truth about ourselves, the world, and God. It is more than something beautiful and enjoyable; our very identities are wrapped up in it.
Ever since that chapel, I've been thinking about the music with which I identify. There's a difference between songs I just happen to like a lot and songs that speak to me on a deeper level. The vast majority of music in my iTunes library belongs to the former category. There are tons of songs that I listen to all the time, and I love to sing along with them, but they don't encapsulate who I am.
After much pondering, I realized that there are really only a few songs that sum up who I am. For the remainder of this article, I will explore five songs that affect me more strongly than any others, and consider why that might be.
The first is Diamonds by Hawk Nelson. I discovered this song about a year ago, when I was swamped with coursework as a freshman. Being a science nerd, I love the line that says "when the pressure is on, He's making diamonds"—after all, diamonds are just carbon that's been forced through incredibly high-pressure situations. Beyond that, though, what draws me to this song is the joy of trusting God in even the most overwhelming circumstances.
Next, we have House of Gold by Twenty One Pilots. Ever since the first time I heard this, it has had a special place in my heart. I think it is because I value my own family very highly, and I know that my parents will eventually reach an age when I will need to care for them. "And when your father turns to stone, will you take care of me?"
Then there's Plant Life by Owl City. I haven't exactly been able to put my finger on why this song has captured me so well. Perhaps it is the beauty of the natural world, or the nostalgia of an old house, or simply the imaginative setting. I really don't know. "I'd rather waltz than just walk through the forest..."
Back's Against the Wall by Judah and the Lion is another song that I heard and immediately knew it was "mine." Both the wonderful combination of instruments used in this song as well as the lyrics spoke to me. It is an innately hopeful song, and I am by nature an optimist. Life without hope is utterly foreign to me. "Stand strong, hold on to hope... When your back's against the wall, you're not alone."
Finally, there is a classical piece that truly speaks to me, the Scheherazade suite by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov. I have grown into this piece over time; first, I played an excerpt from it on the violin, and (much later) I finally listened to the full piece on the radio. Since then, it has become very special to me. I believe that it is so powerful to me because it is a musical illustration of stories, and storytelling is an integral part of who I am.
Well, that's me in a musical nutshell. There are other songs that also describe me, but I believe these five cover the main points of who I am. The rest of "my" music would be variations on those themes.
For each and every one of you, I am convinced that there is a song, or multiple songs, that describe who you are better than just words alone. Ponder this. What music speaks to the core of your being?
