Just as I opened up my tablet this morning, I knew exactly the first thing I needed to start my day: music. I launched YouTube and put on an easy listening rock playlist to start turning the wheels on Wednesday. When life gets busy and we fall into routine productivity, I could only make a good guess that our listening time decreases. I approached the idea of time and themes of nostalgia in my last article, and while my goal as a writer is not just to write for the act of writing, I write with the intention to educate and help people learn new things. I'm picking up the pen this week to discuss how even though our listening might decrease as we adapt to a daily routine, we should not stop enjoying the music we love.
I remember being a kid and coming home from school to listen to music all day until my parents returned from work, which to me was a extended vacation of leisure time. I disliked elementary school and viewed music as an audio escape- a cancellation of the stress of life, by many rhythms and upbeat noise that lifted my spirits. I would listen to about 8 different CDs or 24 songs on my IPod, compared to maybe the 3 or 4 daily that I do now. Keep in mind this was the late 2000s and early 2010s, and technology evolves fast. As years change, people evolve. Life happens, we find new priorities, we start going to work, and adulting mode is on. I know I'm definitely not the same person I was when I was 10, and even though I don't listen to music repeatedly, my love for the art still remains strong.
Music was one of the very first things that made me interested in the humanities. My life for the most part, revolved around music from the time I was 8 to about 18. When my studies took over my focus, the magnifying glass on music hovered. This does not mean I am disconnected from it- I still enjoy music, just not on an extreme "my life depends on it" scale. Priorities change constantly, and that is just another part of life that we live.
Today, I listen to music based on a few things: mood, and limits. If I'm in a rush to get to work, I'll play 2 songs. If it's a Saturday and I need to unwind from a tough week, I'll listen to about 7. "Everything in moderation" the saying goes, and, as someone who enjoys advice- I'll take that!
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