“I was in my early 20’s, it was the season of life when everything was new. I was just married, we moved from a stable, rural community to the big city, I had lots of hopes and dreams as I was trying to prepare for whatever my future was going to be. That was when my Brother-in-law gave me Switchfoot’s Learning to Breathe CD. He gave it to me at his parents house which was in a really rural area of Pennsylvania, I mean Amish country. And I remember walking through the wide open fields on a cold, winter’s day and I couldn’t stop listening. Because not only was the music impacting me, it was the first time lyrics from any band had really resonated with me. The first song on the CD is “Dare You to Move”, when I listened to it I felt like the words were challenging me to be better, calling out to me, in my soul, to be my best self. The songs compelled me to be more reflective and the message of each song continued to challenge me even after I stopped listening. I’ve been following them ever since.
A few years later my wife and I adopted a daughter with special needs. We spent a month at the Ronald McDonald House in New Jersey right on the beach. Our necessities like food and lodging were covered, so during her treatments I had a lot of time to think about changes I wanted to make in my life. I wanted to be a better husband, a better father, I wanted a better path for my career. It became a transitional time for me. Everyday I walked on the beach, watching the waves crash on the enormous rocks, sometimes for hours. I was listening to Switchfoot’s music over and over and over. The songs were motivating me to be more, to find my purpose. They were asking questions like ‘This is your life, are you who you want to be?’, but instead of giving me the answers they were encouraging me to think deeply. I really felt like I was being healed internally, I felt vulnerable and raw. It was probably one of the most defining times in my life. And resulted in stronger personal relationships and the decision to pursue a career that would help others enjoy life more.”
Find more stories about the power of music and the emotional impact it’s on people around the world here.
