What is music, to you?

What is it about music?

My singing voice is not all that good. In the past my inability to dance was such that it has caused people around me to ask if I was alright or if they needed to dial 911. And I have not spent enough time with any one instrument to get good at it.

But music...it drives me. I hear it all around me, even in the silences. Music powers its way through my body. It literally flows through my veins as if the notes themselves were liquid fire racing to every corner of my being, bringing me to light and to life.

Heavy metal, techno, classical, jazz, blues, country, salsa,reggae each has its own unique sound. But they are all the same.  Regardless of style they all infuse me with energy and happiness.

To find out what general level of happiness I am at in my life one need only to ask if they have heard me playing music recently or not. The times where I have not been listening to music have all, invariably, been darker times in my life.

I listen to a lot of music that is adult themed, with lyrics not intended for children, things like Lord of Acid or Eminem. Often, I like the lyrics for the point that they make about society, for a message that they can teach, or even for just artistic creativity.

But most of the time the words themselves do not matter to me at all. It is about the volume,tone, pitch and cadence of the sound and the way those things combine with the overall vibrance of the rhythm, the speed and depth of the beat, the way the harmonics converge, diverge and resonate.
It is like the artist is looking into my eyes with their own. And seeing into my soul, they find my soul to be a kindred to theirs. Somehow, they  use the music as a bridge between us, a bridge of perfect knowledge and understanding.

For a brief yet somehow also everlasting moment, we are connected. And in that moment, time stops and the universe turns inside out, exploding outward, in every direction, filled with life and love. We ride waves of energy, energy which we are.  The power of creation fills us and is us. It is orgasmic but not necessarily sexual. We are surrounded by infinite power and ability to shape and control and make anew. Passion, creativity, love, kindness, pure joy, we are in touch with and in fact are all of these things. We can do anything, be anything, create anything, have anything. For a short time, we are in touch with the soul of the universe, we are physically everywhere and part of everything.

Then just as suddenly as it has started it stops. And then the next song begins.

Is it like that every time? No, but it could be. Although I can always feel the music tugging at my heart,  I do not always let go of all the thoughts and cares of life. In the past I have had a habit of getting bogged down in whatever is going on in my life and not letting the music in.  But when I do?

...Yeah. It's always like that.

Music is awesome.