Music has an incredible power. A power on par, I believe, with words. Music can make people experience certain feelings and can grab them fully. Wrap them up in the sound and hold them in the eye of the storm as they feel the fury and grace of the instruments. Even vocals can evoke that spark of emotion. Music can inspire. It can bring people together in its ability to invigorate. Music, like other art, can invoke inspiration.

I often listen to music as I write. I tend to listen to orchestral soundtracks because the lack of vocals allow me to focus on my work and the compounded effort of so many instruments has the ability to inspire and make me awestruck. I enjoy strings the most, but every band member deserves credit. It’s funny that I chose to write about music today, because today I am going to see a symphony. The Symphony of the Goddess is the formal name. Many just call it the Zelda symphony. That’s right, I’m still and always will be a Legend of Zelda nerd. I’m even listening to the phenomenally fantastic works of Theophany who has created versions of music from The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. I honestly believe my appreciation for that particular title has been increased because of Theophany.

Music can calm and help relax the mind. It washes away all the worries of the day and lets you float in its sound. You can escape, sometimes even better than through a book, for as much time as you need.

Of course, there is also the music on the radio that can be idiotic and amount to nothing, but we all have our own tastes and that’s perfectly perfect. I enjoy many types of music, but soundtracks often help me relax, focus, or dream better than other types of music. Granted, there are many songs by several bands that can do the same, but I tend to listen to the words as well as the rhythm. Some songs are stories. Others nonsense. Either way, they do what they can for me. I encourage you to take twenty minutes and just listen. Forget about anything else. All other obligations can wait for at least twenty minutes. Sit down, put some headphones on or blast the surround sound, and just forget about the world. Lose yourself in the sound waves. Then, if you’re up for it, make some art. It doesn’t matter if it’s writing, music, painting, drawing, yard work, push-ups, whatever. Do something you enjoy doing. Something you can be smile at afterwords and say with a puffed out chest “I did that.” You can create something from nothing. You can do what many others can’t. Be proud of that fact.  It doesn’t matter if the world sees it or only you do. Now go, make some time for your passion.