My Love Language is Sharing Music.

I have never written a more accurate sentence than the title of this note. All throughout the course of my life, music has held a very considerable weight in every experience I have ever had. I feel as though that might be a commonality among people. Some of us display a physical reaction to music when we listen to something, and we can feel the sensation of chills rising over our skin from the nape of our neck to the soles of our feet. I can name dozens of songs off the top that I know incite that reaction in me. May I share a few?

Welcome Home, Son by Radical Face

Higher Ground by Odesza

lifeisgood by Bilmuri

Speak for Me by John Mayer

The Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix

Scarlet Begonias by The Grateful Dead

Vertigo Flowers by Nothing

Grave Digger by Dave Matthews Band

Kalypso by Sorrow

I'll stop there. I could truly go on for days remembering the moments my breath was lost to the sounds of songs...so many moments and all equally memorable. Another thing that I think about when I reflect on those chills, is how every time I feel that way, I want to share it with everyone around me. I can imagine that there are people existing that do not share this same sort of intimacy between themselves and music, but I also am sure that there are countless people who do feel that connection. When I want someone to know I had a fantastic time with them, I am inclined to send them specific tracks that touched my heart in the same way that they did. When I want to share any weight on my shoulders or heart with someone, I guarantee I have a track to match that feeling. When I want to scream my love to someone from the highest points in every corner of the world, I have a playlist lined up just for them. Do others feel this way? I find it to be overwhelmingly heartfelt when others feel called to share tracks with me. They experienced something so unique while listening, that they wanted to share it with me; they possibly shared the same chords with others too and that just adds to the wholesomeness. Would you agree that someone sending you a song makes you feel exceedingly special, knowing that person was going about their day and the art of music was strong enough to stir thoughts of you in their brain?

I credit the foundation of my music taste to my father; his record and CD collection were seemingly endless to my young eyes. He would put records on the turntable every weekend and I remember just watching him be fed by the sounds the record produced. He had his turntable and these hefty speakers that pulsated the sounds all throughout the house. Naturally, he would turn it up louder on some songs more than others, but it was always so clear how much the music was bringing life to his soul. He had this stance every time one of his favorite tracks started playing; it started off with one hand in his pocket and the other hand holding whatever beverage suited him that night. His whole body would always be positioned directly in front of and facing the sounds coming from his industrial speakers. Once the track got going, you could see a slight tap developing in one of his feet. As the music swelled, so did his movements; sometimes his hand would emerge from his pocket and start snapping to the beat or just waving in the air with an expression so pure it could bring a smile to anyone's face. I believe that the way he always shamelessly expressed his deep love of music and excitedly shared those songs with us, is the reason I realized the immense power that music can have on myself and others. I believe that those times in my younger years were remarkably important to my journey of finding all of the emotional connections that music can provide within me; that is exactly why sharing music is my love language.

If you read this and feel like sending me a song that suites whatever mood or position you are in today, please do. Or, if you find yourself in need of a song that fits said mood or position, leave me a message and I am confident that I can find something just for you in no time. I intend on writing more thoughts out about certain songs in my playlist - as part of therapy to heal from some things - but that will take some time for me to do. So for now, please help yourself to the tracks I listed above. They aren't going to be everyone's taste, but I have a specific story behind each of them and there are thousands more tracks just like those ones.

Music truly is everything, I am certain I would be dead without it.

03/03/2023