Day 1: My Favorite Song

I can't think of a better way to begin my new personal revival than by writing about my favorite song... or at least my current favorite song.

As most of you know, music has played an integral part of my life... probably since my preschool days. Many of the primary songs I learned at that young age are among my favorites when I just need a song to lift my spirits. I remember the first time I looked at the first instrument I ever played (the Song Flute) and being so excited that it was so much like Mom's recorder. In the fifth grade, I began my real musical adventure - I started the flute. From 5th grade until I graduated from high school, I was always in a band class... and in high school it was anywhere from 2 to 5 bands (between classes and after school bands) and 1 to 3 instruments (while the flute has always been my primary instrument, I also played the piccolo and tenor saxophone).

While I still play the flute, normally arranging my own flute solos, descants and even flute choir pieces (SOOO much fun!!) for church meetings, instrumental music has plays a much smaller role in my life than it once did (now primarily limited to occasional tinkering on the piano and even rarer flute numbers). My passion for music, however, has not dwindled in the slightest. I appreciate my quiet time, especially reading, but my life is otherwise filled with the sounds of whatever my heart needs to hear most.

My alarm each morning consists of songs from my iTouch and get ready for work listening to anything from classical to Disney songs to Rammstein. Eclectic is really the best word... and generally I listen to "songs" or "pieces" rather than "groups" or "genres". I usually stream music from one of various places while at work, and my commute is (between news and traffic updates) anything I have available in my car (iTouch, CDs and radio).

I also almost always have something musical stuck in my head. A dear friend of mine and I - while in college - developed a theory that when you get a song stuck in your head, there's a good chance there's a more profound reason than it just being "stuck" there. I've since come to realize that my Heavenly Father often communicates to me through music and much of that is placing a song in my head until I've listened to it and learned or felt what I needed to.

So from being the biggest band nerd in high school to waking up with a song stuck in my head... music has always been a huge part of my life. And I hope that never changes.

The "favorite" song I wanted to share is one that came in many ways as an answer to prayer. I was driving home from work a few weeks ago and heard this song on the radio. I'd been struggling with a lot of things (see yesterday's post) and this song just touched me. It was exactly what I needed to hear in that moment. It made me laugh and made me cry... but mostly it gave me hope, and I can't think of a better thing to get out of a song on the radio. I now wake up to the song most mornings and dance to it in the bathroom when I'm doing my hair. And - more often than not - this song is been running through my head. This song has become my own personal theme song, one that will consistantly bring a smile to my face whenever - and wherever - I hear it.

I looked up the music video on YouTube for your viewing pleasure this morning (hyperlinked below). I'd not seen it before and was laughing at my desk before it ended and even more when it actually ended. This is my new favorite song:

Haven't Met You Yet - Michael Bublé

For those of you that remember the college days when I would get "Someday My Prince Will Come" stuck in my head for weeks on end, this probably smacks of a little familiarity. I laugh at the music video because that is TOTALLY me! I can't tell you how many times I've had that party in my head - dancing and everything! And the poetic awkwardness that comes at the end when he realizes that he's not really there... yet. Yah, that's totally been me too.

But as I mentioned before, aside from being funny to the point of tears, this song gives me more hope for the future than perhaps many of my experiences have recently. It is an entertaining answer to the hole in my heart, if only temporary, and is just one simple example of how music has empowered my life completely.

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I'm not surprised, not everything lasts
I've broken my heart so many times, I stopped keeping track
Talk myself in, I talk myself out
I get all worked up, then I let myself down

I tried so very hard not to lose it
I came up with a million excuses
I thought, I thought of every possibility

And I know someday that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out
And I promise you, kid, that I give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

I might have to wait, I'll never give up
I guess it's half timing, and the other half's luck
Wherever you are, whenever it's right
You'll come out of nowhere and into my life

And I know that we can be so amazing
And, baby, your love is gonna change me
And now I can see every possibility

And somehow I know that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out
And I promise you, kid, I give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

They say all's fair
In love and war
But I won't need to fight it
We'll get it right and we'll be united

And I know that we can be so amazing
And being in your life is gonna change me
And now I can see every single possibility

And someday I know it'll all turn out
And I'll work to work it out
Promise you, kid, I'll give more than I get
Than I get, than I get, than I get

Oh, you know it'll all turn out
And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out
And I promise you kid to give so much more than I get
Yeah, I just haven't met you yet

I just haven't met you yet
Oh, promise you, kid
To give so much more than I get

I said love, love, love, love
Love, love, love, love
(I just haven't met you yet)
Love, love, love, love
Love, love
I just haven't met you yet