I love leaving Nashville with the rest of the \u2018gigging\u2019 and touring musicians \u2013 some of us (like me) driving alone in our small cars filled to the top with gear and merchandise and our performing clothes; some in tour vans; and others still, in their big star coaches. We pass each other on the road, we recognize each other at the gas stations and breakfast stops\u2026 we share the same bitter-sweet experience of the road life \u2013 always feeling sad for leaving those we love behind and looking forward to doing what we love to do \u2013 making beautiful music, touching people\u2019s hearts and hopefully, changing their lives a little bit for the better.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s like dying a little bit each time and growing into a new life \u2013 letting go of what\u2019s safe and comfortable, and accepting the uncertainty and the challenge of the road ahead.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n We give our all, we bare our soul, willing to feel and express what we feel through our music, so that others can tap into their own feelings and let them go too\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n And on Monday mornings when most people are getting ready for work, we come home tired but satisfied. We quietly unpack our travel bags and process our experiences. Unglamorous and unfiltered, we slip into our roles as parents, spouses, neighbors and friends\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n Earlier this year, I went in to do a presentation for the Music Honors Society Club.<\/span><\/p>\n I spoke to the teenagers about the importance of music education (and music theory!), and why it\u2019s crucial that they know WHY they want to pursue a music career (because the sense of purpose will get them through tough times and help them persevere.)<\/span><\/p>\n These were all Honors Students, smart and serious and responsible. Almost a bit too mature for their age. I could tell they were all a bit tired from the stresses of all that\u2019s been going on\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n At the end of my talk, one student asked me to sing a song. She said, \u2018one you like to sing the most.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n I looked at them and their teachers and thought to myself \u2018why not!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n I sang \u201cThose Were the Days\u201d \u2013 just like I sing it at our family parties and in my less formal concerts and gigs. Several of them started to tap their foot during the fun \u201cna na na na na na\u201d part, and at the end, when I invited them to sing with me, they all let their voices out. Their faces stretched into smiles, their eyes widened with that inner (still child-like) joy and they sang\u2026 for a moment, at least a little bit of the emotional turmoil they are going through, was released\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n It was such an incredible moment.<\/span><\/p>\n Several kids thanked me and said how wonderful that felt. \u201cIt\u2019s so good to express our feelings through music,\u201d said one girl to me\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n What is your favorite song that you can sing \u2013 and express your feelings through?<\/span><\/p>\n Put it on, turn the volume up and sing along (or play it yourself if you are an instrumentalist.) Let tears come. Or laughter. Or all of it. Let go of your comfortable, safe place, and let some of your \u2018holding it together\u2019 self die a little. And then let the music bring you the grace and love you need to be renewed.<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019ll be singing with you\u00a0 [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_video src=”http:\/\/tajci.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_3672-2.mp4?_=1″ _builder_version=”3.0.98″ disabled_on=”on|on|on” disabled=”on” \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.98″ text_font_size=”16px” disabled_on=”on|on|on” disabled=”on”]<\/p>\n And the storm that rolled in the next day (yes, even Florida got a taste of it) couldn\u2019t bring me down.<\/span><\/p>\n Because I knew there could be no sunrise without a night, and no spring without a winter.<\/span><\/p>\n Have a blessed and happy New Year!<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.1)” _builder_version=”3.0.98″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”connect with me” _builder_version=”3.0.98″]<\/p>\n CONNECT WITH ME<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”3.0.98″ text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”|||370px”][et_social_follow icon_style=”flip” icon_shape=”rounded” icons_location=”top” col_number=”auto” outer_color=”dark”][\/et_pb_code][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.98″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_code _builder_version=”3.0.98″][inf_infusionsoft_inline optin_id=”optin_5″][\/et_pb_code][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_divider show_divider=”on” _builder_version=”3.0.98″ \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.98″ text_font_size=”16px” background_layout=”light”] I love leaving Nashville with the rest of the \u2018gigging\u2019 and touring musicians \u2013 some of us (like me) driving alone in our small cars filled to the top with gear and merchandise and our performing clothes; some in tour vans; […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1057,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1056\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\ud83d\ude42\"](\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/2.4\/svg\/1f642.svg\")
<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n