It tames the savage beast.

Isn't it amazing how much of an impact music has on our lives? I can't even imagine a world without music, I think I would go insane.

I have this routine that I go through as soon as I walk out the office door. I allow myself to think about what I'm going to accomplish the following day, and then as soon as I get into my truck, I put work behind me. I'll put on a country music station and just sing along with whoever is on the radio and force myself not to think about work. I refuse to think about work all the way home from there... what's the point? It's going to be there tomorrow anyway.

The problem is, the last couple of days my routine hasn't been working and I've been coming home stressed out about work. However, that wasn't the case tonight. I think that someone was thinking of me, because as I was getting onto the highway, Pink Floyd's "Wish you were here" came on. That is my FAVORITE Floyd song, and I just turned up the radio, played some air guitar (at which I am incredible at) and mellowed out. It amazes me how quickly my mood changed from tense and worried to relaxed.

I started thinking about this on the way home tonight, and it seems like so much can be triggered by one song. I went to the Paso Fino Nationals this year, and part of the ceremonies was that the National Anthem would be sung while a rider rode around the arena with the flag. This was about a month after September 11, and as I sang along I started to cry. I had gotten to the point where I could cope as far as the day to day without the overwhelming sadness, but hearing the song and seeing the flag just reaffirmed to me how much this country means to me and how devastated I was at what happened.

As I was flipping through the radio stations tonight, I stopped on an oldies station. This brought the memory of me driving my mom, aunt, and cousin home from my other aunt's beach condo. I can remember it being late on these trips, and having on the oldies to help us stay awake during that drive. My mom and aunt would pick at each other about the songs and sing really loud and talk about growing up while my cousin and I made fun of them. Definetly good memories.

I've also found that I listen to different types of music depending on my mood. If I'm happy, then I'll listen to country. If I'm angry, I listen to metal. If I'm sad, I'll listen to either country or classical. If I'm in "the mood"... well, you'll have to get to know me a lot more before I share that with you. ;)

I wonder... what would the world be like without music?