Just about everyone has some sort of hobby, or something they turn to in order to have a good time, enjoy themselves and be happy. If you don't yet, please find something that works for you. Life is pretty boring otherwise.

I love live music. Concerts, street performances, friends and family sharing their talents in special gatherings, etc. There's just something about raw quality of a voice or instrument without studio touch-ups. Every performance is different, even if it's just the tiniest difference it's still unique. The crowd goes wild as a familiar song begins, and they start to dance and sing along. The energy that rolls through the venue is addictive. No need for drugs or alcohol to get high. Once you tap into the passion of the fellow music appreciators, you'll feel your spirit soar, too.

I remember my first concert. I went to see The Killers with my best friend a few years ago, and that was the day I fell in love with live music (and Brandon Flowers). The bass was shaking the whole amphitheater, vibrating up through my feet and into every fiber of my being. I remember how my heartbeat seemed to change and match it, and I felt like I was a part of something so much bigger. For years, I had been a musician myself, but what little I could do on my own didn't hold a candle to this experience.

On the way home, we listened to The Killers in the car, but suddenly it seemed so different to me. All of my senses came alive with my new memories associated with those songs. The things I had seen, felt, heard and even tasted or smelled became a part of that music for me, permanently.

I realized that I now craved more experiences like that, and that those were possible to get. I had the option to make those desires a reality, and ever since that day, I have.

I’ve been to my fair share of concerts. I can list off more than 50 artists that I've seen live, and there's an even longer list of people that I haven't yet seen, but plan to. Every time, my heart still rises in my chest and beats faster, and I feel so happy and complete. I never feel so encircled and secure as I do when I'm surrounded by music. I'm doing my best to describe it, but there aren't enough words.

I can admit that this lifestyle and these habits are not for everyone, and that's OK. But do not knock it until you try it. I can only hope that everyone gets to experience this kind of joy and peace that I feel with music, or something else better suited to them.