“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain…”-Bob Marley

Earlier this week I decided to take advantage of Apple Music’s free three-month trial. Within twenty-four hours of signing up I knew that I was going to become a permanent subscriber to the service. I love music and can’t fathom an existence without it. From Saturday morning cleaning sessions with my mama as a child, to singing in the church choir in my teens to wining along to dancehall reggae as an adult, music has occupied a central place in my life. As I expanded my music library on my iPhone songs that I had not listened to in years popped up.

Over the last few days I’ve spent hours listening to those songs and reflecting on where I was in life at the time. In doing so I found that Bob Marley’s words above are not always correct. Certain songs make me feel good, but others do make me feel pain. Tunes like “Why Don’t We Fall in Love” by Amerie make me think of 2002 and I’m transported back to the era where my Grandma and Mama were both healthy and alive, and that remembrance stings:

But the nostalgia isn’t all gloomy. “This Love” by Maroon 5 makes me smile at the memory of the spring of 2003, when my daughter was born and I dedicated all my time to nurturing her:

 

In music I have found the soundtrack to my existence. To pay homage to it I am going to dedicate my next posts to this subject and share the relevance of particular songs to my journey. I hope you  enjoy and can relate.