In life, we all come across something that shapes us into the person that we think we will forever be... until the next thing comes along to shape us again and this process, I believe, is never ending.
My first shaping moment (and only shaping for now) happened in my freshman year of college. I was sitting alone in my dorm room scrolling through Twitter and noticed that a friend was tweeting lyrics to songs by Dave Matthews Band, so I decided to see what all the fuss was about and my life hasn't been the same since.
It has been three years since I realized what I was missing out on and I wouldn't change a thing. I found a band and a genre of music that will stick with me forever, but that's not the only thing. Because of this band I have made lifelong friends with people all over the country. I have been able to visit cities that I would otherwise never think about visiting. I have had once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that I will cherish forever. Music isn't just a hobby that I picked up along the way, it has become part of my everyday life and something that I will always turn to during the good times and the bad.
There are so many things that I could say to my favorite band, but it all comes down to gratitude.
I would love to thank each and every member for doing what they do just to make me smile on a daily basis. I would love to thank them for getting me through long study sessions and for making my walks across campus an everyday adventure. I would love to thank them for filling my life with songs that can take me back to memories that I will never forget, but also for helping me create new memories along the way. Thank you for making me a more positive person; my glass is always half-full. Thank you for getting me through that really tough breakup with that stupid guy that I don't know anymore. Thank you for creating a sound that I can always get lost in, but can always find myself when it ends. Thank you for connecting me with so many influential people that have become my family and have welcomed me with open arms because after all, it's not where, but who you're with that really matters.
Of all the disagreements we have as a society, I believe that we can all agree on one thing: Music has a way of introducing souls and uniting them for a lifetime. Music is the one thing that can put a smile onto our faces when we don't even want to be happy, make us gather into a room and dance for no reason, tap our foot while waiting on the bus and it can even get us to travel thousands of miles just to hear our favorite song live.
On behalf of all the music lovers out there, I would like to thank musicians for doing what they do and for allowing your dedicated fans to follow and support you along your artistic journey. Music is a language that we all speak and understand and what a beautiful thing that is.
