What Life Looks Like From Up Above And Down Below
Start writing a post
Entertainment

What Life Looks Like From Up Above And Down Below

"I still believe that everyone / can find a song for every time they've lost and every time they've won." –Frank Turner

20
What Life Looks Like From Up Above And Down Below

I have a list of songs on my phone. It goes back to September 2014 and is just a long list of titles with their artist next to them. I meant for it to be a prompt for when I couldn't think of what to listen to, but it has ended up being a map of the roller coaster past year and a half.

Music is the most powerful force I can think of both for discovering meaning in the mundane and for connecting human beings, much stronger than words alone and somehow both more commonplace and more gripping than other kinds of art.

I can't imagine how flat my life would be without music. The memory of driving into Dallas for a college visit to UD plays to the tune of "The Perfect Space" by The Avett Brothers and captures all the nervous desperation I felt about finding a place where I would fit.

My dad cooking spaghetti and trying in vain to sing along to the Italian lyrics of Andrea Bocelli's "Vivo Per Lei" finds seven-year-old me leaning against the refrigerator, giggling at his antics. My big brothers driving me home from ballet, the spontaneous and welcoming Friendsgiving thrown the night before all my college friends left for home in November, and playing volleyball with friends in between stressing about chemistry during one particularly grueling summer program.

Each of these plays with a powerful soundtrack that can transport me back to that moment like nothing else I've found. The songs themselves may be arbitrary, but they are absolutely key to understanding me.

Perhaps that is the real power of music: It peels back the cardboard cutouts we huddle behind and forces us all to be genuine versions of ourselves. Why else is it a bit of a commitment to let your friends scroll through your phone's music on late night trips to Whataburger? It encourages us to embrace that we sometimes listen to Miley Cyrus (but, like, her old stuff because "We Can't Stop" was a disaster and we do have standards).

Our music choices reveal how we color our time and what captivates the few cubic inches of freedom we call our minds. We hold songs in our hearts because they remind us, like the smell of honeysuckles or the heaviness of humidity, of happy times and beloved people, of experiences that forced us to grow, and of the real reasons for living.

Can you imagine the depth then of the human race? I alone have thousands of songs I cling to, each joined to a memory or feeling. If I extend that to just a small sample of the people around me, suddenly the world is colored with complexity. Someone danced to Ed Sheeran at their big sister's wedding. To someone else, the artist reminds them of a trip to England they took to escape some kind of pain. A third person has an even simpler association for Ed because their granddaughter is obsessed with him.

The whole world is walking around as if ordinary, when inside them they have life experiences, skills, and moments of joy and sadness and anger (hello, lessons from "Inside Out"). And beginning to understand other people starts with listening—first to their music, then to the stories and thoughts and dreams and fears that flood out of the songs and drift lazily away towards the bright blue sky.

"If I could fly then I would know what life looks like from up above and down below." –"Cecilia and the Satellite," Andrew McMahon

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70821
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132431
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments