Blogocentric Formulations

Hills and Valleys

DAY 5

"Hills and Valleys"
by Tauren Wells

One of the coolest things about the Soundtrackers activity is how you sometimes learn a little something about yourself in the course of blogging about the music that means something to you. If there's one thing I've learned from this "Emotionally Raw" week, it's that most of the songs that are most emotionally resonant with me have the same theme of hope and optimism in the face of difficulty. Today's entry is certainly no exception; Tauren Wells is a Christian rock and pop artist who had this song explode onto the Christian music charts in early 2017.

Whether you're a Christian or not, the song has an important message of having the right perspective no matter where you are in life. Very few people have a steady, even-keeled life. Most of us have, as the song suggests, hills and valleys. When we're at the top of the hill, it's important to remember you didn't get there alone rather than assuming you're solely responsible for your success. And when you're in the valley lows of life, you need to know that people still see you and still love you.

2018 was, for me, a year of both huge hills and deep valleys. I worked on some of the most creatively fulfilling projects of my career, and I ended the year with a job that excites and challenges me. But I also spent a good chunk of the year either in a new job I ended up hating, or unemployed and wondering what direction my career would take next.

This song helped me through both of those times, reminding me to be humble in success and optimistic in failure. As I get older and experience more and more of both ends of the spectrum, I find myself profoundly grateful for all the experiences God has given me, both the good and the bad. The view from the tops of the hills are truly spectacular... but they wouldn't be half as impressive if I hadn't spent a significant amount of time and effort climbing out of a valley to get there. Now that 2019 is well underway and promises a great deal of uncertainty (although hopefully not as much as 2018!), I find myself looking forward to both its up and downs. The ups are what make life so uniquely exceptional, and the downs are what will give me the perspective necessary to truly appreciate the good times.

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Written for "The Soundtrack of Your Life"