Music moves your mind and body

Last night I headed to a concert of one of my favorite bands, Mumford & Sons, here in the DC area.  Babysitter was coming at 3pm to handle our four monkeys which meant we had to get our act together throughout the day and workouts in.  I headed to spin at 5 am and was back home by 6:45 am, Ben headed out for his 11 mile run and when he returned I headed to the pool to get my swim in.  We were a bit exhausted before our fun even began.  We then prepped our food so that we didn't have to be tempted by fried chicken fingers with french fries with a side of funnel cake.  

I of course had one of my favorites, turkey taco salad and Ben made two huge burritos.  We also brought salsa and chips (measured out in our individual baggies) and a cup of delicious sweet cherries.  I of course needed my sweet tooth satisfied so my go to snack of 1/4 cup of almonds and 1 tbs of choc chips was in the bag.  As much as the the huge mint chocolate chip milkshake that the guy next to us was enjoying looked AMAZING...I did not buckle under the pressure.  I did enjoy my one large beer which I ensured there would be room for in my food log.

We managed to get out of the house by 3:42...our goal was 3:00...typical us.  We were cruising along enjoying the day and rocking out to some great tunes along the way.  Having an hour of just the two of us to talk about our day and general life, plans for next summer, etc...was wonderful.  Remembering why you started all this crazy life is really important and very hard to ensure we do that on a regular basis.  This date night was a long time coming!  The best part...we are 15 minutes from the show, I ask Ben if he has the tickets...sure enough a curse word comes flying out of his mouth....he says I did a million things today and forget the main one!!  Luckily we headed over to will call and they printed us a new set without issue.  We were ready for a great night!

So the concert was awesome...I love all kinds of music but folky, indie, acoustic stuff is my favorite.  They did not disappoint!  I listen to their albums A LOT and we were singing right along with the thousands of others at the big karaoke night.  In my jumping up and down I hear myself reciting some of their lyrics and I can't help but link them to my journey.  I often listen to the Alternative Endurance Training Radio on Pandora and M&S is played a bunch on there.  My husband and I tend to rock out big time while on the trainer in the basement and on treadmill...really keeps us going.  I find myself slamming my hands into the handlebars of the bike and yelling pretty loud.  Glad I am down there alone but realized this week that I do this at spin class too...sorry Wonderful Wednesday Peeps!! 

So their lyrics...the first is for their song "The Cave"

"It's empty in the valley of your heart 
The sun, it rises slowly as you walk
Away from all the fears
And all the faults you've left behind"

"But I will hold on hope"

"And I'll find strength in pain...And I will change my ways"

The beat of this song gets going and I find myself really moving up and down and screaming the lyrics almost at myself....telling myself that where I came from is no more and I am only moving forward...every day...forgetting my faults and dealing with the pain that brings me my strength.  

The next song that gets to me is "Awake My Soul"

"Lend me your hand and we'll conquer them all
But lend me your heart and I'll just let you fall
Lend me your eyes I can change what you see
But your soul you must keep, totally free"

"Where you invest your love, you invest your life"

Ben and I wear RoadIds when we are out training...and it has our contact information on it if anyone needed to help us in any type of incident where we would not be able to tell them that information ourselves...DEFINITELY buy one if you are out training...better to be safe than sorry.  Anyways...Ben's has all of our contact info on it and then it has that quote from M&S.  "Where you invest your love you invest your life."  He is an amazing example for our children and all of the endless  hours of dedication he puts towards his training, on most days, makes me love him even more.  He is invested in our life so deeply and with that our love grows.  

So the last song I will reference is on their newest album...it's called "Believe"

"Say something, say something
Something like you love me
Less you want to move away
From the noise of this place"

I feel like that this song is me talking to me...and the place that they are referring to is the before me...the place I couldn't get myself out of.  It is a reminder that I will always love me despite the ups and downs and I must continue to believe in me!

I know music does different things for everybody...and you may not like M&S at all...but when you can find a connection with music and it can help keep you believing in you...then I will listen to it all day long.  Many songs from them talk to me on various levels of this journey I am on.  I have times where I need music to yell at me, times I need it love me, times I need it to console me, and times I need it to help move me forward.  Whatever it takes to get you to where you need to be...make that connection...and keep moving your  mind and body!!

Embrace the suck...choose you...and rock out ;)