"Without music, life would be a mistake." - Friedrich Nietzsche
As a musician, this quote is very important to me. And yet, I have an ex who actually got mad at me for quoting this; go figure. I'm sure there was a perfectly good reason for the objection, although it was never shared with me, so damned if I know what it is. But it reminded me of when I was a teen, and was discouraged from music, from well-meaning people who worried about my career prospects, down to my own mother who told me I couldn't sing when I was a small child up to my teen years when she told me "I"ll fall flat on my face" (without having even heard me play.) The irony was that I would sneak onto her guitar and electric organ while she was at work, even at the risk of punishment if caught. Music was only allowed to be played by her, ironically. When she finally heard me perform at a school talent show in my senior year, and I WON, she changed her "tune", of course..."he gets it from ME." No, I got it in SPITE of you.
But for me, it's true. Life without music WOULD be a mistake. Ever since I was a child, I was musically minded. And it's been one of the few things that have kept me going through my darkest times, since my father's suicide when I was four, to years of abuse at home, to the present. It's not just entertainment, to me. I've found therapy in it, and even purpose. Without it, I don't know how I would have survived. But I don't do "what ifs" of the past; it's what WAS that I count. And music was the thing. So whatever valid reason my ex may have have for objecting, what >I <objected to was that near-hostile reaction that outright rejected the value of music as my means of survival . So anyone who would try to take that away from me...well, it's one thing when it comes from strangers, but another when it comes from the people who supposedly love you.
One of the few reasons I continue is that I believe I have a RIGHT to be in this world. And while I'm hear, I try to make it a little better by writing my own. I'll proabably never be famous for it, but even so, if others can spread pain and misery, then there's room for my music. While my time here is limited, the music will still be here, even if it's not heard. It will be my mark that I was here, and my statement that misery and pain is not the only thing that exists, despite the intentions of those would prefer it that way.
As a musician, this quote is very important to me. And yet, I have an ex who actually got mad at me for quoting this; go figure. I'm sure there was a perfectly good reason for the objection, although it was never shared with me, so damned if I know what it is. But it reminded me of when I was a teen, and was discouraged from music, from well-meaning people who worried about my career prospects, down to my own mother who told me I couldn't sing when I was a small child up to my teen years when she told me "I"ll fall flat on my face" (without having even heard me play.) The irony was that I would sneak onto her guitar and electric organ while she was at work, even at the risk of punishment if caught. Music was only allowed to be played by her, ironically. When she finally heard me perform at a school talent show in my senior year, and I WON, she changed her "tune", of course..."he gets it from ME." No, I got it in SPITE of you.
But for me, it's true. Life without music WOULD be a mistake. Ever since I was a child, I was musically minded. And it's been one of the few things that have kept me going through my darkest times, since my father's suicide when I was four, to years of abuse at home, to the present. It's not just entertainment, to me. I've found therapy in it, and even purpose. Without it, I don't know how I would have survived. But I don't do "what ifs" of the past; it's what WAS that I count. And music was the thing. So whatever valid reason my ex may have have for objecting, what >I <objected to was that near-hostile reaction that outright rejected the value of music as my means of survival . So anyone who would try to take that away from me...well, it's one thing when it comes from strangers, but another when it comes from the people who supposedly love you.
One of the few reasons I continue is that I believe I have a RIGHT to be in this world. And while I'm hear, I try to make it a little better by writing my own. I'll proabably never be famous for it, but even so, if others can spread pain and misery, then there's room for my music. While my time here is limited, the music will still be here, even if it's not heard. It will be my mark that I was here, and my statement that misery and pain is not the only thing that exists, despite the intentions of those would prefer it that way.
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