Yellow Butterfly

After a discussion in class about John Burroughs, particular his quote “love is the measure of life; only so far as we love do we live,” I was inspired to take some time to myself and think about what love meant to me. I retreated to a secluded lake where I recently had done my nature experiment. Instead of being completely cut off from technology, however, I took my iPod along with me. As a kind of guide to who I was and what I loved, I put my iPod on shuffle and let it play as I sat there in silence myself. You can tell so much about a person from the type of music they listen to, so I thought I’d reevaluate my musical selections. Song after song played, an array of rap, house, pop, acoustic, alternative, and screamo music all came through my earphones. As all these different sounds played back to me, different feelings accompanied the melodies. I had trouble putting my finger on just what in these songs appealed to me. The similarities were few and far between, and the differences were plentiful. About fifteen songs played through until one song, a song I know and keep close because of the story it tells, began to play. With the first note I was brought to tears. This song, an agonizing story about death and the struggle to deal, gives me a heavy heart and I can barely contain my tears each time I hear it. This song, however depressing and disheartening it may be, gave me the clearest perception of what love is to me, and what thrives me to live: people. All the people around me, my family, friends, acquaintances, even enemies, make living worthwhile. To lose them, for me, is to lose life. My family members bring me the most unconditional love one can ask for. They are the foundation and backbone to who I have become. My friends bring me sanity in a crazy reality. They ground me and lift me up. My acquaintances keep me wanting more. They are the faces that I crave to meet, that I long for. And my enemies bring me challenge. They keep me aware of who I don’t want to become and why.

It’s hard to imagine that a five minute song, after a series of about an hour worth of other songs, can bring about these ideas of love and the art of living. I love people. So in congruence with Burroughs’ quote, people are what let me live.

Now Playing: Yellow Butterfly, Meg and Dia