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Life Lessons
Eight Times Music Saved My Life
The lyrics gave me the will to make it happen
“Life is one grand sweet song, so start the music.” — Ronald Regan
I grew up in the dark areas of Chicago. First the Westside, then the Henry Horner projects, finally the South Side, the worst part of town. I should have ended up a $7 crack whore with nine hundred kids scattered throughout foster care. Yet, I did not. Music made a difference to my soul when I was heading in the wrong direction.
Whenever I was down, music guides me where I needed to go. When I was up, my music inspired me to do what needed to be done. Music played in my mind bolstering my mental game, making me think of all of the options and possibilities that matched the words. There were eight points in my life when I needed music to make a difference for me.
- My cousin and I played together as teenagers, our voices singing a song that would haunt us all of our days. Marvin Gaye’s “ Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
Songwriters: Nickolas Ashford; Valerie Simpson
The lyrics:
“Ain’t no mountain high
Ain’t no valley low,
Ain’t no river wide enough, babyIf you need me, call me,
No matter where you are
No matter how far…
