Recently, my sister posted a YouTube link on my wall of a song she loves because the song’s music video was recently released. For some reason, I paid extremely close attention to the lyrics, and the song rang more true for me than it had upon first listen. The only thing I could think of after playing it a few times was "everyone just needs to shut up and listen to some music." At least for me, music has always provided me with clarity and a more peaceful state of mind. Music has continuously played an important role in my life, laying the foundation for many of my fondest memories, as well as providing me with reassurance that what I was feeling was normal. Music can give you advice your friends cannot. Music is always there whenever you need it.
Music lasts through the ages and has the ability to remind us of our happiest, as well as our most emotional, moments. Music can make us smile, laugh, and cry. Music can make us feel, something we often take for granted.
We all have those songs we listen to when we are homesick. For me, it is Frank Sinatra. I remember sitting on the couch of my living room while my mom and dad cooked pasta dinner every Sunday, waltzing around and singing the music their parents listened to as it hurt my ears. Now, whenever I hear it I instantly feel at home.
We have the music that reminds us of awkward middle school dances; maybe it isn’t Chris Brown or old Kayne hit songs, like it is for me, that ring in the vivid memories of praying and hoping that the kid you had a crush on would ask you to slow dance, but I bet there is at least one song that brings you back to the awkward eighth grade school dance days.
We have the song, or songs -- or Taylor Swift album -- that reminds us of our first breakup. Whether you dated for six months or two years, I will put my money on the fact that there is a song out there that reminds you of the couple of weeks following the nasty breakup. Sure, you decided you would stay friends and hang out all the time, but you also sulked on your bed listening to sad songs trying to remedy your situation.
We have the songs that remind us of exact periods of our life. For me, I was asked to prom with a specific song, so that song will forever hold the memory of prom. For you, perhaps it was the song that reminds you of your last performance on the stage of your high school auditorium, or maybe it was the song your team always warmed up to, or even the song you had as your alarm that reminds you of waking up at 6:30 a.m. every day for high school.
Music has the power to remind us of moments we thought would simply pass us by. Music has the power to remedy homesickness. Music has the power to make us reminisce. Music has the power to reassure us that what we are feeling is okay. Music has the power to heal emotional wounds. Music can make your day, or it can just be the background to everything you do. So, maybe, because all of the flowers are frozen over, don’t stop and smell the roses, but stop and really listen.
