Why music is so important to me

I am asked almost daily, why music is so important to me. Because of this, I have decided to write out just what music does mean to me. I have thought about this a lot ever since I was first asked.

It can be very hard to write out one's feelings, but I am a song writer and that comes naturally to me. I try to speak about my feelings with others, but this usually doesn't turn out very well. So instead I have about twenty-five song books. Most of them are from my bad days, my insane crushes, or just plain boredom. This is the first reason why I music means so much to me. I can express myself through it, and with it.

Another reason that I feel music is so important, is the way that it helps me to get away. I am very passionate about being non-violent. Whenever I get angry, I will usually grab some paper and pens, and go write till I feel better. This has been my escape for years, and I can't imagine it being any other way. But writing isn't the only way that I rid of my anger. I also listen to music when I am upset. I was telling a friend the other day that there is just something about hearing Steven Tyler scream Dream On, that calms my nerves. She got a good laugh at that, but she told me that she understood completely. I think that one of the reasons this technique works so well for me, is because I love trying to find the meanings in a song. The reasons why the artist wrote the words, what the words mean, if there is any underlying meanings, what brought on the emotions for the artist. If you have ever listened to Just Push Play, or Last Child, you can understand why this takes some serious concentration to decipher.

Music is my escape yes, but more than that, music is a benevolent companion that you can always count on. When music is your life; everything is a song, and every song has a story for you to find. Or as in the words of  Steven Tyler, "If you are a hammer, everything looks like a nail. If you are a singer, everything sounds like a song."