The Power of Music

I believe in the power that music has in my life. During a time in my life where nothing seemed to make sense and my emotions were raw, music was there for me.

 I had just decided to get a divorce after five years of an exhausting marriage. The decision to do so was almost harder than the entire marriage. My heart was broken and I was alone. Where was I to get the strength to move on? Who would love me now?  Questions poured through me like a waterfall, each thought taking me to the ground.

As I mowed my yard, I  listened to Celtic Woman, an all-woman Irish group that sings inspirational songs.  I soon began to feel my spirit lift. After I was done though, I didn’t want to take the earphones out.  My soul just couldn’t get enough of the positive message it was being fed.  I knew then that I could survive. I could make it in the world, and the sadness that engulfed me would soon pass by and I would be whole again.

Soon I found myself treading out into the unknown trying to figure my life out. Thirty and divorced with a job that was moving to Mexico, I had limited options. When I decided to go back to school I was struck with such a deep fear that it almost paralyzed me. As I drove to the school I put on a new album I had just purchased by a hardcore band called For Today.  As I listened to the second track I felt the fear wither away. With its melodic beats of triumph and lyrics such as “I am fearless”, I felt the courage rise up in me. Suddenly I knew I could go to college and succeed. The music had transformed me into a fearless warrior who was about to take the battlefield of life in the grips of my hands!

Not too long after school started, I found myself driving home alone with nothing to do but to listen to music again. I had conquered my divorce and my fear of school. I was nothing but happy and content.  I ended up listening to a silly song, “I Love Beans” by a cartoon character named Brak.  It is the kind of silly song small children sing and giggle at. As I sang along to the ridiculous lyrics I found myself laughing at the oddity of myself. I had no care in the world except to sing of beans, and I didn’t care who knew! The beans made me happy.

Music has the power to change. When everything seems lost and life feels like it’s broken, music is the glue that sticks it back together. Music speaks to the raw emotion that can sometimes control my life and overwhelm me. No matter what mood I may be in, music can always make it better.