No matter what you’re going through or what you’re navigating in life, music is one thing that never fails to touch the soul. Over the years, I’ve learned to turn to music in happy times and hardships, because there is truly no comfort like words that describe whatever you’re feeling inside. Whether you’re listening to music to pump you up as you get ready for a night out or music that relates to a particular situation you might find yourself in, there’s no doubt that it makes every attempt at making you feel better, perhaps even less alone. I grew up listening to all different kinds of music that my parents introduced me to, and have always found it to be an outlet of creativity. We could have been going anywhere; to the beach, to the park, to dinner, and there would always be classics on the radio or coming out of my iPod touch. It was almost as if it was a necessary staple, a part of our family that held it together in many ways. Music allows you to enter another world temporarily as you soak in the sounds, lyrics, and sentiments of another person, and then try to connect it back to your own life. As a kid, I would write songs about the silliest things and try to create my own melodies to go along with them. Looking back, I’m sure they were nothing special, but doing it made me happy so I’m glad that I did anyways. I have never been talented at singing, but nonetheless I still am abundantly impacted by so many songs (and music in general) that can be interpreted in so many different ways. An artist that inspires me immensely is Ariana Grande. Her gift of being able to take situations and translate them into meaningful songs is something I have admired about her for years, and have always wondered how she does it. Her music has been a great comfort to me for a very long time now and no matter what the situation is, it always brings light to my life. Overall, music is healing and a necessary part of life. It allows us to be expressive but also seek comfort and lean on each other to get through everyday business. Even though I am only a listener, I am very grateful for music and the dimension it has brought to my life. I would not be me without it, and I am certain many other people feel the same way.