We’ve been receiving dozens of stories from people coast to coast about the transformative power of music. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we are publishing a story every day in May.
Submitted by: Samantha Stevens (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
There are some songs that stick with you, that bind you to a person, a place, and a feeling, only emerging when they are least expected but most needed. "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver is such a song for me. Funny enough, I first heard this American folk classic in the Studio Ghibli film, a Japanese animation studio, Whispers of the Heart. In the film, Denver's famous song plays a key role in binding the protagonist to another character, her growing love interest while both characters chase their respective dreams of becoming a writer and a violin maker. The film quickly became one of my favourites for that reason, but the song was always secondary to my love for the film.
Then years later, as I sat with my husband in a sushi restaurant, I heard the song again, recognizing the melody and still totally unaware of its fame. More years go by, and time and time again I would cross Denver's song, catching the odd note playing at a store, in a movie, or on a random Youtube playlist. Then two years ago, my husband and I agreed that for us to achieve our lifelong dreams, we would have to be apart for a bit. I stayed in Montreal to get a Master of Arts in journalism, and my husband, who is military, took a posting in Halifax. In the times we were able to see each other, there was Denver's song, making an appearance in some capacity, though never central to our attention. However, the song demanded to be part of my life when we were able to take a trip through Europe together last September. We stayed a night in Munich, Germany, excited to experience a small taste of Oktoberfest. And there in the heart of the celebration, among tankards of beer and copious amounts of food, was a local German band playing "Take Me Home, Country Roads" with the crowd singing loudly along. That was it, this song was meant to be. It tied me to my husband, to our dreams, and for two country kids it bound us to a rhythm that's been there all along.
This song demanded to be my favourite and is now the song I turn to when I need to smile.
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