Music has kept me alive

Music has healing powers and can affect people in many ways. Oftentimes people associate songs with memories, whether they are good or bad. Sometimes a song’s lyrics can really have an impact on us and it might seem as though the song was written about a particular situation we have experienced. That’s how music connects us so much in the world. We’ve all been through different things in our lives but some of us have been through similar experiences and can empathise with one another.

Music is an international language and such a great form of expression. I’ve loved music for as long as I can remember and I feel it’s really helped me in my healing process. Dance was my first way of expressing myself to music. As soon as I could walk, I would twirl around the house on my toes, and still do! I also have memories of me as a child, sitting on the swing in the garden, and making up songs. I remember how I used to imagine I was in a music video while doing it. It all progressed from there; in primary school, I began co-writing songs with some of my classmates. In secondary school, I studied music and composed songs. I also played flute in the school orchestra, an ensemble and sang in the choir, so I guess I’ve always been pretty musical. It’s such a shame that when I left school I lost a lot of that passion. Maybe school was good for me after all!

It was during therapy that my artistic skills started to come back to me. Out of the blue, I started writing poetry as a way of expressing my feelings and emotions. I guess I found it easier than writing journal entries. As a child, I had always been fond of poetry and used to write my own poems. Next, my passion for music started to return and I decided to start playing the saxophone. The natural progession from there was song writing and I haven’t stopped since!

Looking back on my life, I realise that because I was suppressing all the bad memories from my childhood, I was also suppressing the good ones. I guess, in a way, I lost my identity and passion. I was a dead soul. I really appreciate the fact that I’m artistic and have been able to use my skills as a form of expression. I also really appreciate music; it’s kept me alive in so many ways.