Music Soothes My Soul

The last couple of weeks have been very trying for me both professionally and personally.  I have gone days on end with little more than eating (sometimes), sleeping (little), and working. Relationships with those close to me have been strained despite efforts to work on them, and I reached a breaking point with many of them this past weekend.

Each day that has passed I've felt my mood get deeper and darker.  The realization finally hit me that there is only so much in my life I can control, and I need to learn to let go of what I can't. I need stop trying so hard to make things happen that clearly aren't meant to be.

Driving long hours to and from my communities for work have only exacerbated my mood, yet at the same time, I have found a few fleeting moments of fun and even childishness on those trips.  To help break up the monotony of driving so much, I listen to the radio (albeit a variety of stations along my trip).

One can only listen to so many of the same songs play over and over again before even the music gets quite boring, yet there are those moments when a song comes on and it speaks to me.  Recently, Cee Lo Green, Pink, and Katy Perry have topped the list of songs that just brighten my mood and soothe my aching soul the moment I hear them. I will listen to these songs even when they start to get all fuzzy from driving out of range for the station either until the song ends or I lose it the signal. 

I sing along in my car, even dance while I am sitting trying to drive, and for a few minutes I forget about everything that's bothering me.  Sometimes I catch other drivers looking at me while I am jamming along in the car, and it cracks me up the looks I get. The semi truck drivers who honk at me are the best!

Over the last couple of days, I've heard the new song by Glee, "Loser Like Me", and tonight I heard another song on the show, "Get It Right". It's ironic that I used to not be a huge follower of the show until recently, but these songs really spoke to my current life and the things I am currently dealing with, especially "Get It Right".

Get It Right lyrics

What have I done? I wish I could

Away from this ship goin' under

Just tryin' to help, hurt everyone

Now I feel the weight of the world is

On my shoulders

What can you do when your good isn't good enough?

When all that you touch tumbles down?

'Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things

I just wanna fix it somehow

But how many it times will it take?

Oh, how many times will it take for me?

To get it right

To get it ri-igh-ight

Can I start again with my faith shaken?

'Cause I can't go back and undo this

I just have to stay and face my mistakes

But if I get stronger and wiser

I'll get through this

What can you do when your good isn't good enough?

When all that you touch tumbles down?

'Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things

I just wanna fix it somehow

But how many it times will it take?

Oh, how many times will it take for me?

To get it right

To get it ri-igh-ight

So I throw up my fist

I will punch in the air

And accept the truth that sometimes life isn't fair

Yeah, I'll send out a wish

Yeah, I'll send up a prayer

And finally, someone will see

How much I care!

What can you do when your good isn't good enough?

When all that you touch tumbles down?

'Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things

I just wanna fix it somehow

But how many it times will it take?

Oh, how many times will it take for me?

To get it right

To get it ri-igh-ight

Even though most songs last less than 4 minutes, that's 4 minutes of my day that I don't have to think about anything other than just letting loose and having fun. I am thankful for those little moments in my car or even in my house chasing the kittens around singing and dancing like I used to when I was a little kid.

Have you ever had a bad day and suddenly you hear a song that instantly changes your mood? Why does music have such mood-altering capabilities?