Take Me Away

Music has this crazy power to cut my mind and spirit off from the rest of the world. When I get anxious or stressed or overwhelmed, I know that I can pup in my headphones and drift off into a different plane of reality, whether that means headbanging along with DMX, jamming to the soul-shocking beats of Youngblood, or vibing to Billie Eilish.

These last 6 weeks (or is it8? I have lost count) stuck at home with nothing but my kids, my husband, my dogs, and my rapidly dwindling snack stockpile to comfort me have been mind numbing, to say the least. I miss going to concerts and traveling. Heck, I even miss going to the grocery store whenever I feel like it.

I created my Quarantine Playlist to help me get past the overwhelming feelings of lethargy and hopelessness that creep up on me even when I try my hardest to stay positive. Filled with a mix of songs that make me want to dance and tracks that feature smooth, relaxing melodies, this playlist is everything I am hopeful of experiencing again soon. Seeing family. Dancing and being silly with friends. Rocking out with my bestie on a roadtrip. Floating down the river on a paddleboard, just soaking up the sun and laughing with my kids.

“Anywhere by Rita Ora is a song I used to listen to with a good friend as we pointed our car in a random direction and drove aimlessly with the windows down and the good vibes of togetherness filling the car.

“Jump On It” is a timeless bop that my husband and I jam to when the kids are gone and we have the house to ourselves…something I miss and honestly can’t wait to share with him again.

“Sunrise” by Slaptop is an umbelievably happy track…I dare you to listen to it and not find yourself swaying to the beat and smiling!

“Runaways” by Sam Feldt has been on repeat in my house the last few weeks…I want to run away from this house…many days I feel trapped by the monotony of Mondays that bleed into Fridays with the blink of an eye. I love the peaceful vibe of this song and the happy feelings it stirs up in my soul.

I am currently listening to “Glorious” by Macklemore – one of the songs I have on this playlist. I am struck by the lyrics:

“We gon' be alright, put that on my life . When I open my eyes, hope I see you shine. We're planting a flag they don't understand : The world is up for grabs (Hey, hey, hey)… Got a chance to start again I was born for this, born for this. It's who I am, how could I forget? I made it through the darkest part of the night and now I see the sunrise. Now I feel glorious, glorious; I feel glorious, glorious”

What an incredible reminder that we are coming through this dark time, and there will be a sunrise waiting for us – we will emerge from this crazy time as stronger, more grateful versions of ourselves, appreciative of the connections and relationships we have and for the technology and music that held us together through the highs and lows of months spent locked down in our homes. After all, even though we are separated, we are not alone. Music, among so many other things, connects us and serves as a heartbeat that pulses across cities, states, and countries.

I can’t wait to see the people I love again – but in the meantime, I know that we can listen to the same songs together and still be together in spirit.