🎧 I've had music on my mind a lot lately. Every time I hear a song that holds memories for me I am transported right back to the place and time I first heard that song. Maybe it’s the raw emotion of a song that played during a pivotal chapter in my life, or maybe it's the joy of a track that lit up my serotonin that made me have a perfect day. To me, music is more than just background noise, it’s a living entity that holds our memories, our struggles, our transformations. Have you ever felt that feeling inside when a song you like starts playing and your body starts moving? That's it! Music makes us come alive.
Today's world moves so fast and asks so much of us, and music gently invites us to take a pause. I love music because it helps us to remember and also to feel.
Music as Memory
It’s no coincidence that a single chord can bring us to tears or laughter. Our brains store music differently than words, embedding it deep into the emotional center of our memory. The song playing when you lost a loved one, the mixtape from your first love, the lullaby you sang to your kids or your niece or nephew. All of this lives on, long after the music has stopped and there'll be more music to come to store even more memories. Sometimes our own thoughts and ideas get buried beneath our memories. Revisiting music from our past can be a gentle way to reconnect with who we were and what we've survived. I know it does for me.
Music as Identity
Our playlists say more about u than we realize. The angst of our teen years. The empowerment of our survival or the self-care we are needing right in this moment. Maybe we need quiet, acoustic tracks for a bit of rest. Maybe we need pumped up jams to get us going. Maybe we're feeling sad or melancholy and we need to commiserate with our old friend music. For me, there are many songs that take me back. James Blunt You're Beautiful was playing when I had my last visit with my amazing grandmother. I'll never forget that song and it always reminds me of her and how we'll never be together again.
A few years ago, I lost my step-father, a truly one of a kind father to me and beloved grandfather to my kids. It broke my heart that he and my mom had to face the harsh reality that his cancer was not going to go away and they weren't going to be together. As I wallowed in this reality as well, I kept hearing the song A Thousand Years by Christina Perry o the radio. Even today, I can't listen to this song without feeling the pain of losing him. The pain for our family, my mom, and because the world lost one of its kindest humans.
As we grow and experience milestones in our lives, our personal soundtrack continues to grow as well. Sometimes, it hurts and sometimes it brings joy to rediscover the songs we once loved. This reminds me of a dark time in my life and for real, my soundtrack was extremely dismal at that time. A few years later I listened to that playlist and I realized that it was a dark time and I was struggling, but these songs got me through that tough time and through that transition in my life. I evolved over time and music helped me to pave that way to a renewed sense of being. I think I mentioned in a previous post that I listened to TheFatRat on repeat while I was writing my book. That soundtrack had so much energy and power and it really kept me going. I love that I can always go back and tap into that energy at any time.
Music gives us permission to show up exactly as we are: fierce, uncertain, joyful, messy, resilient.
What songs are you feeling right now? I've got a few. Otis Redding's Dreams to Remember is playing right now as I write this. Earlier this morning listened to Djo's End of Beginning on repeat for a while. I've been seeing signs in my life everywhere that I need to slow down, stop and take a breather, and rejuvenate and I really need to listen to these messages from the universe. And just like that, the song Turn, Turn, Turn pops up on my player. Well, isn't that a great message in real-time!
Music as Self-Care
When the world feels loud and overwhelming, music can offer us a safety net. It lets us scream without making a sound (unless we want to scream out loud to Alanis's You Oughta Know). Music lifts us when we need courage, and holds us when we need comfort. For me, music has been a companion during hard days in the library (I have a playlist just for my library and it starts out with Devil Town by Tony Lucca). I am no stranger to making playlists. I made multiple song lists during my battle with cancer. And after, continuous soundtracks for the healing process and going forward. Looking back at my Youtube channel, I have made at least one playlist every year for the last ten years. These playlists filled with songs that speak to me in many different ways have helped me to cry, breathe, celebrate, and find hope again.
Whether it’s a morning coffee track or a work out playlist or a calming bedtime list of songs that soothe your soul, your playlist can be a powerful self-care ritual. I would highly recommend using the app Shazam to capture song artists and titles when you hear a new song you like.
If you could make a playlist of five songs that calm or encourage you, what would they be? If you make the list, all you need to do is press play when you need a little balance or a calming session. When I'm feeling nostalgic I look for hidden gems in my life's soundtrack. The songs that live in our minds and hearts aren’t just echoes from the past, they’re signposts. We can look at them as reminders, anchors, and many times they are lifelines.
So, what’s on your soundtrack? What songs tell the story of who you’ve been - and - who are you becoming?
Whether you need to cry, celebrate, heal, or just breathe, there is music out there waiting just for you. Go find it. Or, let it find you 😊
I'm going to share my favorite morning playlist that I just happened to stumble across one day about a year ago. It changed my life!
Morning Coffee ☕ Happy Music to Start Your Day
Wishing you rest, resilience, and rhythm,
🎶 the Compassionate Librarian 🎶
