Living by the Wisdom of Blind Melon

Inspired by my brother and my life these days. Thanks to Leigha for the antecdote.

My friend once told me that she was dating a guy whose favorite band ever was Blind Melon. We laughed. What did Blind Melon ever do besides "No Rain?" Wasn't that a one hit wonder? Spoken true like two girls who were only ten when Shannon Hoon overdosed on drugs. And while "No Rain" was probably the theme song of my freshman year at college and still holds a special place in my heart, it wasn't until a certain Salvadoran who spent his youth obsessed with the rock music scene of the early 90's introduced me to the wonderousness of groups like Pearl Jam and of course, Blind Melon, that I realized how wrong I was about them being a one hit wonder.

Sometimes at work I go through song playlist on youtube to spice up my day. Those playlist have include Les Miserables, Glee and about a year ago, Blind Melon. I hadn't listed to them for a while, but the other day at a street festival with friends, the song "Change" came on and Cesar and I looked at each other and smiled. I think some songs jump back in your life for a reason. You usually know that by the fact that the song brings you to tears when you hear it.

I think I heard "Change" for a reason.

The past few weeks have been up and down for me in most aspects of my life. When so many things are shaken like this, you start to look around you and see that the world you have built isn't as sturdy as you thought it was. This month, was the tenth anniversary of the earthquake in El Salvador that devastated the country. Living in a place of such natural disasters teaches you that things can collapse at any minute, even if you try so hard to hold things in place.

Blind Melon says:

When you feel your life ain't worth living
you've got to stand up and
take a look around you then a look way up to the sky.
And when your deepest thoughts are broken,
keep on dreaming boy, cause when you stop dreamin' it's time to die.
And as we all play parts of tomorrow,
some ways will work and other ways we'll play.
But I know we all can't stay here forever,
so I want to write my words on the face of today.

...When life is hard, you have to change.

The words touch my heart and I know its because this year will bring great change for me. And that is very scary, but I know that change needs to happen. So I trudge through the daily stresses and treasure those moments that remind me to look up to the sky.

Alejandro's shriek of joy when I come home from work.

My friends singing Las Mañanitas to me around my birthday watermelon at the beach.

Sharing a meal with my co-workers.

And coming back from the store to my first real home that was mine and Cesar's and Alejandro's, and finding the two of them dancing to this song.

And when your deepest thoughts are broken,
keep on dreaming boy, cause when you stop dreamin' it's time to die.

My world gets rocked. I know it will even more. But we all play parts of tomorrow. So I am grateful for those moments that remind me to dream of what is to come and not be afraid of the change.

When life is hard, you have to change.