“Ain’t Nothing Quite as Beautiful as Music” (pt. 1)

Happy Blog day friends! I feel like my weeks have been shortening to days lately, and I’ve been EXTRA busy! That unfortunately means that this entry might be somewhat half-baked and likely all over the place, for that I will apologize in advance. My process typically includes a draft which gives me time to condense and edit my excessive thought process, so this is honestly a bit intimidating. Hopefully I can wrangle up these wild thoughts and work out a focused post… fingers crossed hahaha

I decided to write about the divine relationship I have found within music (and how I have literally found myself within and through music), the chances I’ve had to immerse myself in the abundant genres, emotions, and worlds that exist within the dimension of these vibrations. Such beautiful manifestation of energetic offerings for the listener, and often aiding and guiding movement in other creative processes. It’s truly the background to my world, the theme music, the motivator, therapist, and friend. 

My first memories of music trace all the way to the backseat of my Aunt Anna’s car. About 3 years old rocking out with my best friend and singing “Two Princes” at the top of our lungs! (We did this a lot haha) Much to the credit of my Aunt, I developed a healthy taste for everything, the old, the new, classics, and all that lies in between. For my 5th birthday, she sent me an epic 3 tiered stereo system complete with it’s own cabinet, dual tape decks, a stereo tuner,equalizer, and record player on top! We lived hundreds of miles apart by this time, and I spent many days just reliving our memories of jamming out and singing together. Learning the valuable lesson that with the right music, moods could transform from sad to happy, and the spirit of a person could transport through a song. I obsessed over anything that conjured and soothed my emotions in rough times, and began to create my own playlists on blank tapes. I could finally have any song I desired with the correct amount of patience and speediness to release the pause button when it played over the radio. I quickly grew a self produced collection of tapes that unfortunately are long gone, along with the stereo system I used to create them. I still miss that epic set up…

In the 3rd grade we made another move, where I entered the world of playing music and I started taking piano lessons from a sweet woman named Mela. I spent a few years learning the basics and how to read sheet music, I felt so rewarded with the progress and abilities I was starting to see. 5th grade rolled around and I had the opportunity to play the saxophone, for me this was so exciting and an absolute dream! I was so ready to be Lisa Simpson cool! I spent that year learning and practicing, but reading music was a struggle I would continue to carry with me. This led me to play more by ear, and that suited my learning processes much better. I wouldn’t play much of anything for many years after the sax, then in 2005 a friend loaned me an electric Strat to practice and learn on. He gave me tips and some basic lessons, but I just couldn’t seem to muster up any patience to practice and adhere to learning much of anything. I spent the next 8 years picking up and putting down the guitar until I moved to Raton NM, where living with my grandmother and meeting a new teacher changed it all. I had nothing but time, a very motivating and patient teacher, and suddenly I owned 2 acoustic guitars whom would become my Thelma and Louise 😀 Before moving I had been learning to play a mandolin that I fell in love with at the pawn shop I worked in, and this helped me a lot in my new transition to guitar (again ahaha). In no way would I really consider myself a musician (I’m not terribly good at it) but I have greatly benefited from the zone one enters into while learning and experimenting, and the relief free styling can bring to a chaotic mind. Not to mention the fool I was willing to make of myself in front of the right people. I prefer only letting the people who TRULY love me hear me sing hahaha, it’s unmistakable the joy learning to play and sing some of my favorite songs has given me. As well as the confidence I got playing for small audiences of folks, I definitely came quite a long way in a short time.

I’m suddenly realizing, this post could easily never end, or at least go on for days to accurately describe the influence and role music has played in my life. It literally raised me in many different aspects, starting with my Aunt, leading me to playing instruments, to finding the community that would embrace me, to making the friends that enriched me, to experiencing the lovers who’ve captivated and inspired me- music gave me every ounce of that. An old friend and musician once told me, “Music is the most universal language that exists. It transcends all barriers- religious, political, ethnicity, and all forms of language” He went on to elaborate by saying, music doesn’t need translation. One could feel the message present in music, even when written in languages we don’t speak or understand. Speaking the language doesn’t hold one back from feeling the emotion behind the music. The message touches the listener just as well and transports them to the feeling and place the composer intended. That thought and concept blew my mind and has never left me. I still find the beauty in that understanding very often. 

I think someday I’ll detail further the influences I’ve had in my world thanks to a deep love of music, but I will hold back to avoid making this post much longer by delving further in. So I think I’ll let this be an introduction post to a much lengthier post to come. It comes quite naturally to have so much to say and credit music for, but in short- music gave me a world to escape to, a place to feel understood, and a beautiful mass of people who have contributed to the growth and development of who and what I am as an individual and a free spirit. Without music, I doubt I would be an artist, every gift has brought me deeper into my own skin. Given me reasons to love myself, and the courage to love the imperfect world and people around me. My eyes see more detail, my ears hear deeper harmonies, my heart loves the flaws harder than the perfect, and my hands feel beyond the palpable… 

Until next week…. This is where I’ll end momentarily. Sending so much love out, and hoping you all return to hear more about this subject next week.  Thankful for the eyes who find their way here <3 I appreciate the attention you lend 

<3 Miki Len