How A Song Can Change Your Life
Here’s the one which set me on the path to becoming great and how It took time to realize it.
A bit more than 10 years ago, I fell upon an anime called Hajime No Ippo. I enjoyed anime a whole lot at the time and it struck me as different than the rest.
An anime about boxing based on the research of real matches sure could have potential. I started watching it and got hooked. It even made me start being interested in boxing despite previously hating that sport.
The story was simple but well-written. A simpleton who suddenly wants to become a pro boxer and working his way up. It showed the hardships pro boxers could have to go through for a match, the will needed to get back up, the variety of ways to work towards the same goal.
But I’m digressing.
You’re here for the song thing, right?
The song, called 夕空の紙飛行機 (A paper plane in the evening sky) is just about its title. You can listen to it on YouTube if you want. (A rather good translation of the lyrics can be found here, although the very last part is not entirely right in my opinion.)
It’s about someone watching a paper plane fly in the sky, chasing the setting sun.
Sounds simple right?
Well, that’s actually some pretty well-made paper plane because the song is about how it gets buffeted by the wind again and again but keeps on flying “forever and ever”.
It represents the dream the person has, the importance of keeping your eyes on it, to never to give up even when going through hardships for a far far away goal.
One part particularly struck me:
夢が夢で終わらないように
ずっとずっとずっとずっと信じつづけてる
What does it mean?
“So that my dream doesn’t end as a dream
I’ll keep on believing forever and ever and ever.”
I had completely forgotten this part of my life but coming back home made me fall upon the anime again and reminded me of it. Memories came back flying high.
I remember it being the most confident smile I’ve ever made, realizing if I wanted too, I couldn’t be stopped.
I decided then to get better and I somehow believe this might have been the turning point to when I started thinking about the future.
Back then, my goals weren’t clear so it ended up turning into an even more serious study of languages as that was what I did most and best.
However, it wasn’t until last year that I willingly set my mind on a precise goal but listening to that song so many times had put the seed in more than 10 years ago.
We all have certain music types and specific songs which feel close to us, in which we recognize ourselves or at the minimum want to recognize ourselves in.
Music feels simple but it is the rhythm of our life. We hear songs daily and our mood often is reflected in what we’re listening at the moment.
What’s song changed your life?
If you think you haven’t, maybe you didn’t realize the seed might have already been planted!
