Music has always been my lifeline, but it wasn’t until I started truly listening that I realized how deeply it has been guiding me. This is the story of the first time a song arrived at the exact moment I needed it — and why I’ll never hear it the same way again.
The Day Music Spoke to Me
Music is my lifeline. My saving grace. Without it, I would lose my mind.
Lately, I have been listening differently. Not just hearing a beat or a catchy riff, but actually listening to the words. And holy fuck… some of these lyrics? They have been telling me the truth for years, and I am only just now hearing it.
I used to pick songs for their rhythm or hook, never stopping to ask why they caught me. Now I hear the pain, the anger, the love. I hear people telling their stories in all their imperfect glory; people doing their best by their own standards, not anyone else’s. And I realize that is why I have connected so deeply, even when I did not know it.
The Day Music Spoke Directly to Me
Years ago, I was a single mom. I chose to be “poor” because it was cheaper than daycare, and at least I would be the one raising my kids. I wanted to instill my morals and values in them, to control who influenced them, and to shield them from as much of the ugliness of the world as I could. We had been living in hell, and we needed a safe, peaceful home now, not later.
Photography became my passion, and I had taken out a loan for better gear. One night, I left my camera bag in the car. By morning, it was gone. (Yes, I know… in my defense, we had gotten home late and I was carrying two sleeping kids inside. I forgot to go back out. I know.) Thousands of dollars of equipment — stolen.
That day, I picked the kids up from school, trying to keep it together. Our usual route was closed, and The Long Way Home by Supertramp was playing. It felt like a sign, so I took the long way home, just to stretch the drive and keep from breaking down in front of them.
The day was sunny, the windows were down, and my oldest was reading to the younger two. Yes, they were happy. Yes, I was drowning inside. They were completely oblivious — safe in their bubble. It is a feeling parents know when you are carrying something too heavy for them to even understand. You have to be the calm, stable, happy, safe one. You put that face on so they believe everything is going to be alright, even if you are not sure you believe it yourself.
The Perfect Timing of Three Little Birds
And then… Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds came on. I had three kids in the car. The lyrics hit like a lifeline:
“Don’t worry about a thing…
’Cause every little thing is gonna be alright.”
It was exactly what I needed to hear, exactly when I needed to hear it. I glanced in the rearview mirror and took a photo — my kids in the backseat, joy untouched by the heaviness I was carrying.
Months later, my photography teacher invited me to show that image in an art exhibit. She did not know the story until afterward.
Now, whenever Three Little Birds plays, I take it as a message — from the universe, from Marley, from something bigger than me — reminding me to keep going.
This is why music matters to me. In the weeks ahead, I am going to share more — about the artists who speak to my soul, the concerts that left me buzzing, and the songs that always seem to find me at the exact right time. My first in this mixed tape series begins with one of my favorite artists, My Gospel by Paul Cauthen.
Because if there is one thing I have learned, it is this: music does not just play in the background. It shows up when you need it most.
“Three Little Birds” by Bob Marly and “Long Way Home” by Supertramp
Curious minds want to know …. this song, have you heard it?
Author: Ellie Wilde / Grizzly Hippie Journal Series
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