When Words Fail... Music Speaks

Music. Music is said to be the gateway to the heart and the soul.  Personally, I love music. It keeps me alive and keeps me going and inspired.  So because of my love of music (mixed with the fact I’m a Bio major) I decided to take a small survey of my friends on their “life songs”.  This idea came to me after my friend Gabby asked me what my “life song” is.  When I really thought about it, it was really hard for me to pick one song that described where I am in my life right now, so I was curious if any of my friends had the same issue.  When I asked a few of my friends I got everything from seasonal songs, to the latest pop hits, but I also got a lot of “I don’t knows”.  I found the “I don’t know” answers excessively interesting because in today’s society music almost rules over our lives.  We associate certain songs with certain events or certain people, and some people even make monthly play lists that hold reminders of what that month was like (My friends Sarah does this, and I find it pretty awesome).  Music seems to be the thing that can influence every area of our lives.  So, I feel like at most points in our life we can associate a certain song with what we are feeling at that moment, and I think there are points in our lives where we can’t associate music with our lives because we aren’t exactly sure where we are at in that moment of time.  I know personally it was very hard for me to find a song that fit the point I am at in my life because I am at so many cross roads all at once.  I feel like when we can put our life into words, it is hard for music to speak. But when we can’t put our life into words, music does speak.  Music seems to give you the words when you don’t have the words.  When I began really thinking about where I was in my life, I realized I couldn’t put my life into words, which helped me realize there is a song that describes my life right now.  That song is “I Lived” done by the BYU Vocal Point.  That song spoke to me about never taking a single moment in life for granted.  That song spoke to me and told me to live my life while I can and to not hold back.  I’m sick. I know I’m sick.  I’ve been told that they don’t know how much longer I will be able to run competitively.  Doctors have told me they don’t know how I am up and doing everything I am doing because most people wouldn’t be able to.  And I know it keeps getting worse and I know my doctors have gotten to the point they don’t know what to do for me anymore.  The give me a 60% chance of growing out of it, and I like to believe that statistic because I don’t like to think that I will have to live this way for the rest of my life, continuing to get worse and lose feeling in my legs and pass out more.  I don’t want to think that is my future, and so I choose not to.  Even though I choose not to believe that is my future, I have to live like it is.  I have to take advantage of every moment I get and every opportunity that comes my way. I plan to run as long as I can and do everything everyone else does, no matter what the future holds.  That’s why “I Lived” is my life song.   I want to live my life in such a way that I can experience everything to its fullest and make a difference in other peoples lives.  I people to look at me and say, “If she can do it, so can I.”  So “I Lived” embodies where I am in my life at this time.  That’s how music can speak to us.  Everyone has a song ( or maybe multiple songs) that represents where they are in there life.  Everyone has that song that encourages them, and makes them think, and makes them continue to live life to the fullest.  So my friends, I challenge you to find your life song, and let it push you to do things you never imagine possible.

“I Lived”

Hope when you take that jump, you don't fear the fall
Hope when the water rises, you built a wall
Hope when the crowd screams out, they're screaming your name
Hope if everybody runs, you choose to stay

Hope that you fall in love, and it hurts so bad
The only way you can know is give it all you have
And I hope that you don't suffer but take the pain
Hope when the moment comes, you'll say

I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second that this world could give
I saw so many places, the things that I did
With every broken bone, I swear I lived

Hope that you spend your days, but they all add up
And when that sun goes down, hope you raise your cup
Oh, I wish that I could witness all your joy and all your pain
But until my moment comes, I'll say

I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second that this world could give
I saw so many places, the things that I did
With every broken bone, I swear I lived

Oh, oh, oh, oh

With every broken bone, I swear I lived
With every broken bone, I swear I

I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second that this world could give
I saw so many places, the things that I did
With every broken bone, I swear I lived

Oh, oh, oh, oh

I swear I lived, ohhh
I swear I lived, ohhh