“I don’t sing because I’m happy; I’m happy because I sing.” – William James

What keeps you going?

Many of us will say my dreams, my family, my loved ones and those who need me. But setting them aside, what is this one thing that inspires you to continue life, to enjoy life and to feel life?

Mine? It is music. 

We admit it or not but sometimes, life is a bit too much on us. We experience “high and lows” and “smooth and rough” moments in life. There are times that we feel anxious, nervous, depressed, hopeless and empty. Sometimes, we feel so mad and lonely. I do believe most of us only have little moments in life that we feel the ecstasy of being  excited, grateful, happy, and joyful.

With all of those moments in our life, there is always this one companion that inspires us to submerged or get out of those moments. For me, it is music.

Ever since a little kid, I really enjoy listening to my favorite music. I love to sing too. When I listen to a familiar song on the radio, even if I don’t understand the lyrics, it’s melody, rhythm and beat make my heart flutter for either happiness or sadness.

A kind of music that flutters my ears are those music that makes me grove on the floor, sing with my heart, makes me drop a tear from my eyes, makes me reminisce,  makes me smile for no reason and those music that makes me fall in love. 

Those music that make me sing and dance are such my pleasure too.

We can’t deny that music affects us in ways we do not understand.

Just like a love story from the past, music never gets old. It goes hand in hand with all our stories in life, may it be a sad one or a happy one. Music brings us to the good old days or the amazing future that we dreamed of. Music makes us a traveler in this world.

Music inspires us to remember, to reminisce. Music heals us from the things that we are unable to share and speak. Music enables us to express the things that are burdening the deepest of our hearts.

Music is our voice. It inspires us to speak, to listen, to understand, to laugh, to cry and to love.

When the room is filled with empty shadows and loud silence, music serenades our soul. It taps our shoulders, it embraces us – it kisses our tears away.

When loneliness eats us, music accompanies and cheers us up.

When our minds are overcrowded with worries, anxieties and fears, music cradles us to sleep.

When we are weary and down and it seems that it’s the end of everything, music lifts us up and ignites our souls again. 

Music is like a fire that keeps burning, for us to enable to be a light to the world and to continue to roar for our dreams.

In my whole life, I considered music as a mood pill and a healing medicine. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression way back a year ago. I thought life wouldn’t give me another chance to enjoy the wonderful world. I was so down and so sick physically and emotionally. My mental condition worsened as days passed by. I lost hope already.

I was struggling so much because I want to live – I still want to live! Then, a miracle happened to me. I heard the music of the sea. It was so calm. It relaxed my mind and refreshed my whole inner being. That moment, I know I am being healed.

From that day, I started to use music as my anti-depression and anti-anxiety pill. I started to regularly meditate on the music of nature – the sound of the birds and all the other animals around, the trees and its leaves falling, the pouring rain, the waves of the sea and its gentle breeze, and every music that nature plays on.

Then, I now regularly play my favorite music on my playlist everyday. Those music really inspires me in many different ways. Most of my playlist are religious music. Those songs when played inspire me to trust God and surrender my life to Him. Those songs give me hope, refuge and light in my life.

I also put on my favorite love songs, mostly acoustic versions. I love soft music. It calms my mind and my heart. I also listen to classical music and instrumental relaxing music. Those music really combat my anxiety and depression. Music really took me out of the blue.

When we experience something unmanageable anymore, we tend to easily lose grip of our life. We thought no one can save us, no one can help us. But music is there. Music is everywhere. 

Music can inspire us, can motivate us. Music for me is both a companion and a healer. It’ll never leave us. Most especially in these times of pandemic, I advise that we tune in to our music playlist, maybe it be from nature or from our radio, tv, smartphones or stream online. It will surely help us heal from all our pains and suffering specially emotionally and mentally.

Choose the kind of music that inspires and motivates you. You’ll feel its message through its lyrics and the melody, rhythm and beat that lingers on your soul. 

All in all, it can be said that music does not just inspire but it is an inspiration itself.

It teaches us to feel what we need to feel, to learn to go with the beat, to learn to simply trust, to be happy without reasons, to dance with all the sadness we have, to let go of things, to remember and smile, to sing what our hearts want to shout, to believe in ourselves, to be calm, to listen and speak, to continue to live our dreams and to enjoy our lives.