When it comes to the most significant events in my life, there is generally a song or ambient music present. This is the first week that I’ve been in Lisbon, and nothing significant has happened. The large furniture pieces that I ordered have arrived, and at this point, I’m creating a routine that makes sense to write, create videos, or anything else that my creativity is guiding me to do.
Yesterday was a beautiful day, and probably the second day I’ve been here that I’ve been able to wear shorts. My thighs were out, and sunglasses were on for most of the day. I’m learning to create memorable moments for myself, and after an eventful weekend, this was a night for me. I lit my Dark Amber candles, played music, and went into the kitchen to prepare Xola’s food and mine. I had spinach and cheese tortellini left over from the night before, and when dinner time rolled around, my mouth began to water with the pesto sauce, olive oil, cracked pepper, and basil dipping sauce for my bread. I poured my mango and ginger ale into a wine glass, because I can and carried my dinner into my main living space and kneeled on a pillow in front of my large ottoman, picked up my fork, and took a bite and just as I began to savor all of the flavors of the tortellini and the pesto sauce, this song started playing:
I stopped chewing and sat for a minute and could feel the rising of emotions coming from my stomach flowing upwards, causing tears and sinuses to flow. I wasn’t upset but grateful. The words are simple but masterful, and Peter Collins is an incredibly talented vocalist. Musicians like these have a way of displaying the whole gamut of their experiences – sharing the highs and the lows of their lives. He has a way of timing his melismas in a way that makes perfect sense. His falsetto is angelic, and his lower register is rich and silky. I went down a rabbit hole of listening to some of his other singles and EP and enjoying his craft. I realized I’d come across an Instagram of Peter just singing a few years ago, and I recalled wanting to save it so I could play it later…I’m sure I was distracted by something, but I forgot to save it.
The encouragement of “You Got This” for me at that moment was perfectly timed and something I didn’t know I needed. I remember several instances of my life vividly because of music. My soul has to feel music…listening to it several times to focus on a different aspect and angles. The repetition of the acoustic guitar in this song gives Jesse more room to play with the pitches and word placement. It’s a great song to listen to lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. You must be in a place where you are almost cradled because a particular security comes after listening to this song.
There were meditations that I wanted to put out into the world this week, and I couldn’t because of things I needed to purchase to make it happen. It was a little frustrating, but this song, my dinner, looking out of my front door watching people scurry home from work, this song will forever be etched into my soul, the way that light of the candles flickered, the way Xola moaned as he was settling in after eating. My heart is starting to settle here, and I am having some success in expressing myself in Portuguese earlier in the day. It was a reminder that every small step matters; you have to be disciplined and consistent enough to do the work every day. ☮
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