An Open Letter to Music

Dear Music,

Hi. I've been listening for a while. Long-time fan. Seriously. Not to gush, or anything, but I was always the one who was off listening to you while other kids were doing stuff outside, or playing video games. I wouldn't expect you to remember. It's OK. I just wanted to write to you to explain how you've helped shape me, and thank you for all the times you made my life a little more tolerable.

So, I was recently reading somewhere that you're like, 9000 years old...? That is amazing. I mean, you don't seem a day over 6000. You've aged really well. You're always finding new ways to evolve and change to fit whatever time you're in. I mean, that's really cool. A lot of us (humans, I mean) get all stuck with what we liked at a certain time in our lives, and never really learn the skills of adaptation to what is new. I know I'm still stuck on a lot of the stuff I used to like as a kid... I really admire that you can stay so vital.

Somewhere early on, I knew that my obsession with you would last a very long time.

I mean, I've seen you change a lot over the years, and I've done a lot of research about how you were before I was around. I am continually amazed that you can always be such an inspiration for people when it feels like they are losing reasons to keep trying. Just one of your many skills, I suppose. I remember this one time: I was having the week from hell--I mean, it was bad. It was like, you name it and it was going wrong, and I didn't have anyone around that I could really talk to about it...and there may have been a girl involved. I bet you hear this kind of stuff a lot, huh? Anyway, I won't bore you with the details, but I decided early on that I was going to have to lean on you a little bit to get through that. And the whole time, you were there, like a champion, to commiserate with me when I needed it and to lift me up when I was too far down. Likewise, I have soundtracks made of you that have accompanied all the best times in my life--you know: all those times when I was sitting behind glass, watching cars pass by in a state of utter contentment; or those first meetings with people I knew would be important to me, even though I didn't know how or why I knew that at the time--it was like you already knew, and you were trying to clue me in without saying too much.

I mean, you're perfect. You're amazing. I don't know how you do it. I know a lot of your fans are too cool to say these things. I know that I might not be so cool. I am OK with that this time. I think it is important that you know we aren't taking you for granted.

Anyway, I'll wrap this up by saying that the real reason I'm writing is that I have started falling in love with you even more recently. I mean there has always been love, of course. But lately, it's as though I am hearing you with new ears. You have somehow rejuvenated me--made me start to remember that there are things that can make me happy. I feel like you are teaching me lessons all over again, the way you did when I was just a kid, wearing flannel and trying desperately not to fit in. I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable by telling you all this. Like I said before, I just think you need to know.

So, y'know, just keep doing what you're doing. It's been a great run so far. And thanks again for everything. I'll be here, listening. We all will.

Respectfully,

nich