It's amazing how a song can take you right back to a specific time, a long lost memory, a special moment. A song can speak feelings that can't be put into words. It can summarize your thoughts and express them in a way that you yourself cannot do. Throughout the course of my life, there have been many songs that have spoken to me, gotten me through rough times, and even expressed how I felt about other people.
I have put many songs on repeat and played them until their words were embedded in my brain. To this day, those songs can take me right back to those memories.
I remember my first real broken heart. I was in high school and my boyfriend had just broken up with me, rocking my entire world. One day after school, my mom picked me up and told me she had heard a song that she wanted me to hear. Sitting in the car that day I heard for the first time "God Blessed the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts. As tears began to roll down my eyes, I knew this song would ultimately be true in my life. Someday God would lead me straight to the person that he had planned for me to be with. For the next several months as I worked through my heartache, I had that song on repeat. To this day, my brother can't stand hearing that song because he says I "overplayed" it. :) But for me that song was like therapy, and a constant reminder that I was okay. Every time I hear that song, I think of that day in the car with my mom, and it reminds me of how far I have come.
Several years ago, my family started a Sly Park camping trip tradition. Unfortunately this year we were unable to go-but hopefully next year we will be able to find the time! This camping trip is something I look forward to so much-and every year it revolves around music. Before we go, we download the new Brad Paisley, and add it to all of his old hits. We spend the week out on the boat, relaxing around the campfire, and enjoying the time together. We sing along as my brother plays guitar, and we wakeboard to the amazing talent of Brad Paisley. I can't even listen to Brad Paisley without thinking of going camping with my family, and every time he releases a new song, we all feel like its time to go camping again!
My best friend Nicole has been in my life since I was in high school. We have been friends through a lot of ups and downs. We have stood by each other through some serious trials in life. When we were still in high school we heard the song "When I look to sky" by Train, and fell in love. For weeks we listened to it on constant repeat as we choreographed a dance routine to it. Every singly time I hear that song not only do I think of our friendship, but it takes me right back to those days where we spent hours together choreographing our dance. That song is a reminder to me to be thankful for my wonderful friend and to remember that "When I look to the sky, something tells me you're here with me, and you make everything alright."
In the last two years, I have lost a lot of people in my life. Some I was very close too, and some I only knew through other people. But all people who had some kind of impact on my life. As my world seemed to be crumbling around me, and I was losing people left and right, I felt really lost and alone. It was around this time that my brother played a song for me by a group called Among the Thirsty called "I'd Need a Savior." The words spoke to me and helped me to cry out to God. Through this song, I was able to pray and focus, and really deal with all the sadness I felt. Now every time I hear that song, I not only remember the people in my life that I have lost, but it reminds me that God is always there for me no matter what and that this life is all in his plan.
Last night, I was at home with my family. My brother is going back to school tomorrow and so we were just hanging out having dinner and relaxing. We were listening to music and I remembered a song that I had heard at my work the day before that I fell in love with. It's called "I can't wait" by Runner Runner. It's amazing and when I heard it it gave me chills. The jist of the song is a guy singing about the girl he is in love with...that he can't wait for her to be his wife. It's so sweet, and obviously made me think of my boyfriend and the love that we share. I played it for my family and for him and I could tell my family loved the song too. My brother busted out the guitar and started learning the chords and singing along. This song made my parents think of their marriage and the songs sung at their wedding. So my dad sat down at the computer and pulled up all the songs that were apart of their special day and they began to tell us stories about it. It was a lot of fun to listen to them tell what happened and who sang what and then to listen to each song that was sung. It was like going back 28 years to their wedding. (They just celebrated 28 years of marriage together-I am incredibly blessed by the example of love that they have given me.)
Certain songs can spark memories, sooth the soul, and speak to the heart. What a powerful influence music can have on the world, and on your life. I know music has continually impacted my life, and can instantly take me right back to a memory.
