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: Gregoire Leman

What I Got first reached my ears when I was 14/15 years old. At that time, I was learning to play the saxophone.

But I really wanted to do like my best friend who was the coolest and introduced me to Hard-Rock / Heavy Metal / Punk / Ska....

I learned the guitar so I could play with him.

Sublime was the first Punk record I picked on my own, going through CDs at the record store. I was so thrilled by the punk/ska fusion, such a magical mess, and Bradley Nowell's voice had something I recognized immediately.

"What I Got" was something else.

It's a feel-good song about basically losing everything #mindblow.

And it's only two chords!

The layered lyrics were the most important to me. The simplest message of all ("Lovin' is What I Got, I said remember that") just stuck there.

I kept that as an anthem through dark times (anxiety, depression, expatriation, divorce, diagnoses that started my real mental health journey at 31 and helped me embrace ADHD/AS with compassion for myself).

It's my happy thought, it soothes me every time I hear/play/sing it. That song is the reason I make music every day now. It kept me on track often, especially when you know Brad's personal struggles.

It’s a few minutes of good vibes to enjoy your day.

Even more when reality slaps you in the face and it's not wonderland anymore!

This song taught me how to love myself and supported me over the years.

I will still listen to it as an old man.

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