I don’t think it’s much of a hyperbolic statement to say that music has saved my life many times.
For a kid whose family moved several times before graduation and for whom loneliness and uncertainty was a regular companion, music was often a respite.
My first tape player was one of those brown Fisher Price ones that many kids had in the 80s. I wore it out, and then I wore out several more through my elementary years before getting my first stereo. My collection of tapes and later CDs kept me company after getting through another day of school.
Music has helped me make meaning in times of sadness, anxiety, and joy. It has helped me name moments that have been beyond words and to express emotions for which language is inadequate. I am so thankful for its power and beauty.
What a pale world this would be without it.
Jeffrey A. Nelson 