For The Love of Music

The music is what brought us together, and I like to think the music is what keeps us together, too.

Dylan and I have been in a long distance relationship for quite some time now. He’s a musician, living bi-coastal, recording in New York, LA, and constantly on the run. For us, long distance is like breathing. It’s normal, it’s what we have, and we make the best of it. I sometimes think it’s our artistic souls that keep us going. How we both crave creating and taking in all of this world’s inspiration. With thousands of miles and busy schedules between us, sometimes things can get hard, but we’ve learned a few things on the road that helps the love stay strong.

Write: We both are writers, in our own way. While I’m writing blog posts, poems and journal entries, Dyl is writing lyrics and songs in his head. I’m a pen to paper kind of girl, smudges of ink, scribbled notes and doodles. Whether it’s a physical letter to him, or a song back to me, we share our love with lyrics, and I like to believe that it’s beautiful.

Listen: We met through our love of music. I would play his songs before I even knew him. I heard his voice before he heard mine, and I was inspired by it. I found myself playing it while creating things. Our conversation started about music, and our taste fell the same. When I’m missing him, I’m lucky that I can play his tunes and hear him. Any Jeff Buckley, Ryan Adams, or Neil Young song that comes on instantly makes me feel close. I can picture it: I’m standing on top of a ladder, shooting a post, with music playing in my studio, and I can daydream myself with him in the passenger seat, windows down, riding up a canyon in LA with a Fleetwood Mac song blasting.

Go: Just go. I’ve done some pretty crazy things to get where he is, and it’s always been worth it. Even when we are busy, sometimes I just have to pack up and go see him. It might mean I have to sit in the studio for days, but I can catch up on my work and be near him. Because our careers kind of mix in some way, the trips can work out well for the both of us. I went to SXSW to listen to him perform, and I got to shoot some posts for my blog, so the trip was rewarding on both ends. When I can go, I go.

Capture: I don’t go anywhere without my camera, because if I can capture a moment, I won’t ever forget it. I love finding rolls of film and developing them on days when I miss Dylan. It’s like reliving the experience that we had all over again. Keeping photos around the house is always a good way to hold on to memories. When I’m with him at a show, on an adventure, or just hanging out at home, I capture and record it all, so the moment lasts forever.

Love: Above all else, I love. I miss, I cry, I laugh, I dream, I dance, I sing… I love. He takes me for who I am; my crooked bottom tooth, my lousy wink, and how I can’t carry a tune. When we are together, or apart, I’m always with him, and he is always with me. I can thank the music for that.

Happy Valentines Day, loves!

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