Leave it like a skin

Anyone who knows me well knows that music holds a special place in my life. I'm a private piano teacher, I got my degree in piano performance, I took piano lessons from age 8 through my college career, and I grew up in a very musical family. I love classical music, I love to listen to it, as it glides along, or bursts with rage or passion, or when it gets pensive, or peaceful. It touches my soul in some unspeakable way, telling my heart that it understands me, somehow.

Classical music does this for me, but so does popular music. Not all popular music, but many, certain songs. I can't put a quantifier on it - its not Britney Spears' music that does it for me, its not country or rap or contemporary Christian music, necessarily. Its any and all of those things, mixed in the right way, written with the right words and sung with the right intonation that reaches out and strokes my heart. It makes me ache with pain, or cry with relief, or it takes away my pain and gives me "inexpressible and glorious joy".

I've got a group of performers that have stuck with me throughout the years, and never failed to touch my heart with each and every album. Rich Mullins, Nichole Nordeman, Sara Groves, and Ginny Owens. These four happen to be contemporary Christian artists, and have naturally affected me very greatly because of our shared faith and some shared experiences. But its not only the Christian music that touches me. I connect deeply with Coldplay, Billy Joel, Norah Jones, Damien Rice, James Taylor, Fort Minor, Pete Yorn, Blue October, Alanis Morissette... I could go on forever!

Today I woke up to a big (old) life struggle. This song came up and touched my heart in a big way. I hope you like it.