Last week, I was walking to a meeting when I decided to listen to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s song “One More Song” from the movie “Vivo.” The first line, “You spent your life making music. I thought the songs would never end,” stopped me dead in my tracks and almost brought tears to my eyes. It really made me stop and think. I honestly cannot remember a time in my life where there wasn’t music. From taking piano lessons since I was 4 years old, to singing in choirs, performing on stage, playing piano for church, or even singing a song as I was doodling on the kitchen table, it has always been there. Some of my favorite memories have been tied to music, and I’ve met some of the best people through music.
Over the years, music has become more than just a hobby for me. It has been a way for me to express myself when words simply aren’t enough. It has helped me connect with people and experience emotions in a completely different way. Whether I’m playing guitar in my room, listening to my favorite worship song, singing in choir or leading worship, there is something special about being surrounded by music.
However, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed that music doesn’t always have the same place in my everyday routine. Between classes, assignments, and everything else life seems to throw at me, it’s easy to go days without picking up my guitar or sitting at a piano, no matter how much my soul longs for it. Sometimes, life gets so busy that we put aside the very things that once brought us so much joy. I think we all need to be reminded to make more time for the things that make us feel like ourselves, even if, like the song mentions, it’s just one more song.
I think that’s what hits me so hard about those lyrics. It is so easy to think that we’ll have time for all the things that we love, that there will always be another opportunity to play, another rehearsal to attend, or a new song to learn. But sometimes, we get so caught up in the next thing that we simply forget to enjoy what is right in front of us. We forget that the little things we do simply because we love them are just as important as the responsibilities we spend so much time worrying about.
I don’t want music to become something I only look back on when remembering my childhood or the things that I’ve done. I want it to continue being part of my everyday life. Because at the end of the day, music has given me so much, and I don’t want to let the busyness of life take that away. Maybe we don’t always need another big performance, another accomplishment or another milestone. Sometimes, all we need is one more song.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.