The Healing Power of Music

Everyone has their own way of coping, their own way of carrying on through tough times. For me, music has always been a huge help in pushing me down rough roads.

While I could go on and on about my love affair with music, I’ll only go back as far as high school to tell you about a compilation of songs that carried me through some really tough times: love, loss, death. There were two songs in particular that really touched me and made me feel stronger when I needed it most.

The first, “What Matters is the Heart” by Edwin McCain and Jewel. Some lyrics…

Did you forget about the passion
Of living day to day?
We keep our dreams locked down inside.
Choking on a lifetime,
And never take a chance.
Wake up one day wishing you tried.

And it ain’t about the money.
It ain’t about the time.
It ain’t about the love you lost
Or the things you think you left behind.
And it ain’t about your losing streak,
Makes you feel like you’re falling apart.
What matters is the heart.

The second, “Every New Day” by Five Iron Frenzy. Some lyrics…

When the stars threw down their spears,
Watered Heaven with their tears.
Before words were spoken.
Before eternity.
Dear Father, I need you.
Your strength my heart to mend.
I want to fly higher
Every new day again.

Today, there are three tunes I can listen to over and over…and over…and I never get sick of listening to them. The first two remind me of my friend Tom, who battled Stage III Metastatic Melanoma and showed me there’s nothing to fear in life, no matter how bad it gets. These jams are “Titanium” by David Guetta featuring Sia and “Don’t You Worry Child” by Swedish House Mafia. These songs (and Tom) remind me that no matter how weak I feel, I’m bulletproof. No matter how scared I am, I needn’t worry because heaven has a plan for me.

The third is Avicil’s “Wake Me Up.” And I think this lyric video speaks for itself…

I don’t know where I’d be with out my support system of family and friends, but I also don’t know where I’d be without music. It just lifts me up and puts me in a place where I can escape, forget about pain and even, at times, let go and move on. I truly believe in the healing power of music.