Music In The Soul Can Be Heard By The Universe

I have always known that music lifts my spirit, but reading Lao Tzu’s quote helped me realise that others may understand my journey better if I put together a playlist. This is the back story to my idea…

Growing up, my dad was always listening to music on the radio or playing long plays on the stereo (CDs eventually), and a long list of songs helps me connect to many precious memories. Most importantly, I am reminded of the emotions I felt whenever I hear them, and they are not all happy memories, but they are part of me. 

Songs make everything better; they keep you present, they make you hopeful, and they keep you sane. To give you an example, before moving to Hawaii, I found a service that would hide my IP address (I was living in Guatemala), and I would play Hawaiian music on Pandora. It transported me to the beaches that I eventually would walk on. They were the bridge to a life I wanted so badly for my family, a dream that, for most people, is impossible to achieve. 

After all, it has been proven that listening to music triggers complex brain reactions, activating auditory areas and releasing feel-good chemicals like dopamine, which enhances mood and motivates pleasure. It also engages the limbic system, including the hippocampus and amygdala, which process emotions and memories, explaining why songs can evoke powerful nostalgia. 

Since we are on the subject of longing, I must mention a significant fact about relocating (even to sunny Valencia). It comes with heart-rending sentiments that are part of any adventure, which could apply to anybody. 

I still get homesick because I miss the good parts of the United States of America; I grieve at times. It’s heartbreaking to see the USA's unique landscapes, parks, and cities, and to be reminded of the life we've surrendered, which was incredibly hard to build. My Spanish therapist (Paula) shared the term migratory grief, which means: It is the complex emotional turmoil experienced by immigrants due to the loss of their homeland, including familiar environments, relationships, culture, and language. It is a form of mourning that can be prolonged and multifaceted, as it involves multiple losses simultaneously and is often compounded by the challenge of adapting to a new life, leading to feelings of sadness, loneliness, and anxiety. Even if you leave on good terms, you might miss family members, good friends, social events, holidays, places, your community, or your hometown.

I want you to know that even when the grass is greener on the other side, it doesn’t keep you from the whirlwind of emotions that will probably surge. I mean, wherever you are, you will find things to solve or fix, right? But at least now I do it from the Mediterranean with accepting Spanish people, and it's heartwarming. We have found peace of mind and spirit, and it is a powerful gift. 

This is why I mentioned before that any type of support system will be needed when moving abroad. Luckily for me, between my kids, my plants, my cats, my playlists, my therapist, our sustainable business, the bees, and the melodic ambience, we are thriving. I go out on the terrace to work on my plants, and I turn on my speaker and play the Abella Valencia playlist, and it just lights up my soul.

It helps that this is a musical city too, I go from one night listening to a neighbour’s love for Maria Callas' opera, the clubs' unique style covers, and street bands during festivals, to the supermarket’s cheerful playlists. There are great reasons why Spain has been ranked the number one country for fun in the world, and one of them is their music appreciation. To honour the city that has given us a home and a business, I decided to put together a playlist on Spotify that I hope will transport you to the vibrant and friendly Valencia. It is a very diverse selection, mainly dedicated to guitar and violin-based songs. Hopefully, you will be able to enjoy some of it, if not all. 

When you listen to the playlist, it also supports bees and our project because we get more exposure! I bet that if you feel like working in your garden, cooking or going for a walk, it will make you feel more alive! Try.

Go to the Spotify playlist!

Go to Apple Music playlist!

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