music = L.O.V.E.

simply stated, i am a music lover. i have love affairs with all kinds...country, reggae, vocal, hip-hop, bubble gum pop, folk...you name it. right now i can't get enough of the vocal, you can make it though anything music.  here are my top picks for anyone needing a quick pick-me-up or thought-provoking message:

1. courage is (by the strange familiar) - i truly feel that everyone has felt pain, sorrow, frustration, hurt. this song really pierced my soul by its touching words. courage is when you make a change and you keep on living anyway. sometimes it is so hard to make that change, cut those ties, start fresh, forgive. by letting go and moving on, your soul is repaired.

2. ooo oh (by keri noble): sometimes we are attracted to people and relationships form out of hurt.  we want our pain to go away and by being with those friends and loved ones, the pain goes away for a bit, but it lingers. sometimes relationships form. and you just need to walk away, to let go. but you don't want to for the sake of the other person, for they need you. but if you are anything like me, you soak up the pain and heartache like a sponge. so you get thinking and your mind takes you to new heights, to real soul searching. and after this thinking, you are ready for more, something different. this song captures these emotions.

3. human (by jon mclaughlin): we all just want to be understood. when we only try to be understood, we forget to understand. we lose sight of the other person and what they want, feel, and desire. we end up fighting to get the other person to understand instead of taking a step back and putting on the other person's shoes.  it's a very human thing to do. we all want to be understood.

4. Beijing Huan Ying Ni (various Chinese people): this is probably the most addicting song ever. 7 minutes of Chinese drums, voices, and happiness. what more could you ask for? AND you can sing along so easily. i don't know Chinese so i make up words. i can't get enough of it.

5. Dreamer (by Kari Kimmel): This song gives me goosebumps. It is about heartache and the loss of someone you love. About someone who says he wants to give you everything, and then leaves you alone.  It is about all of the emotions and frustrations you feel when you lose someone. The singer's voice along with the piano make this song extremely moving.

6. Can't Go Back Now (by The Weepies): I love everything by the weepies.  Although this song has a feeling of making you want to go back in time and fix things, I find a greater resolve to make each day matter, to live life to the fullest. In the end, the only steps that matter are the ones you take yourself. Enough said.

7. Between the Lines (Sara Bareilles): this song is me. my mind is cruel. queen of attention to detail. i remember everything. usually good, sometimes bad. i learn to listen to the silence. i don't like to bring things up that bother me...something that i am working on. most of the relationships i have had were between the lines. nothing ever spoken out loud, just assumed. i personally don't think that things need to be decided. people who are constantly having DTR's are dumb. i think things should just unfold naturally. this is where my assuming comes into play. words are unspoken, feelings neglected, eyes unopen. there are some pros to being this kind of person, but along come several cons. this song reminds me of who i used to be, not who i am becoming. nonetheless, it is my past.

8. Forever (by Ben Harper): Forever is a long time. i can't think about it, for it hurts my head. Forever always seems to be around when it begins, but forever is never seems to be around when it ends. i want to be someone's forever. some people give their forever away easily. forever shouldn't be taken lightly. therefore, someone else's forever is my greatest desire and goal while giving away my forever is my greatest fear. i only have one forever...and it needs to go to someone who will help me get to my highest potential.

9. Where I Stood (by Missy Higgins): Letting go is very hard for me. i have never liked change or prided myself on adapting well to it. but usually, it is what i need. fresh, new, clear...emotions i love.  "You have taught me how to trust myself, and now i say to you, this is what i have to do..." this reminds me of a tim mcgraw song. you get used to somebody and how they love and what they require to be happy. you know how to provide this love, this comfort. but is it truly enough for you? this is where you feel torn...knowing that you should move on and find someone that will make you happy, but you don't want anyone else loving the other person, even though the next girl would be more capable of loving.

10. Broken (by Lifehouse): Grey's Anatomy always has the best music to accompany the situations posed on the show. this song is about being broken, barely breathing. in the pain there is healing. this is so true, and yet so hard to do, to heal. we tend to cling to something broken, something that is literally killing us emotionally or spiritually because it is what we know. we would rather be hurting that not living at all. allowing our spirits to heal takes time, with our wounds exposed. but deep down, we know that it will be worth