Music is my religion or maybe it's my drug

Where do you turn for guidance when you are troubled? What lifts your spirits after a bad day? For me it's the carefully constructed combination of sound and silence, flowing into melodies and harmonies.
I like to turn the volume up and just feel. Music can affect my mood the way the position of the sun affects the color of the sky. It's the light hearted cool blue of mid day, when the sun is flying high or the warm orange and pink of sunset to relax the day away. And even the darkness in the void of the sun.

Too often in our society we're expected to suppress our emotions or pretend everything is ok. But sometimes everything isn't, and that's ok. Music let's you feel. Sometimes it's the lyrics, sometimes it's the beat, sometimes it's the energy of the performers. Or maybe it's a combination. There is music for every emotion. Whether you need to feel the pain or need to be uplifted, music's got you covered.

I can remember being 15 years old, having no answers to any of life's questions, feeling lost and alone. And music was my life line. Music helped me feel.

Flashbacks! Still today when I hear Smashing Pumpkins on the radio it takes me back to a time in my adolescence when the only thing that controlled me was the amount of gas in my car.
I can tell you the song that kept playing on my first date with the love of my life, my husband: Matchbox Twenty, 3am. Even though there is nothing romantic about that song, I can listen to it and mentally be in that moment with him, 13 years ago. Nervous smiles, awkward eye contact, both of us ignorant of how lucky we are at that moment.

Having a rough time? Find a radio or a streaming music service, tune it to one of your favorites, turn the volume up and feel! Feel bad, feel good, either way, feel it!
<3 justjessica