More and more every day, I find myself waking up wanting to play guitar, and going to bed wanting to sing a lullaby to my host sisters. I hope they won't get sick and tired of it, and I'll do my best to find new ways for them to enjoy the key of C.
Man, I get so nervous about singing, but here, you know, what the heck. My fingers have indentations that are half centimeters deep for what they are worth because of how much I've been playing.
In Kenya, just like in Bangladesh, whenever I have a moments' time, I bring out the Washburn and just make up lyrics.
Maybe it's because I'm here on my own and am actively trying to find a sense of self and purpose (or maybe because the language of music is easier to understand than English laced Kiswahili), but I enjoy for once not being afraid to grab my guitar and just make up a song. And sometimes, one sticks.
I wrote one that I was proud of and for once am not embarrassed to sing it, even in front of my host family, who might not understand all the English. But heck, they encourage to share. So I'll sing my little sisters a song, sometimes in broken Kiswahili (I know how to make "my name is not Tanim, but Abdul" sound pretty dramatic) and sometimes in something meaningful.
This life is so short, and except for pausing to listen to others, I think it's important for us to express ourselves, and more importantly, find an environment (or audience) that supports that.
"Love is like a mountain, so high up you could die...so we drink it like a fountain, just to touch the sky"
Ah so corny, but ah well, these are my words, and I wrote them in a song. And I'm happy to share them.
Man, I get so nervous about singing, but here, you know, what the heck. My fingers have indentations that are half centimeters deep for what they are worth because of how much I've been playing.
In Kenya, just like in Bangladesh, whenever I have a moments' time, I bring out the Washburn and just make up lyrics.
Maybe it's because I'm here on my own and am actively trying to find a sense of self and purpose (or maybe because the language of music is easier to understand than English laced Kiswahili), but I enjoy for once not being afraid to grab my guitar and just make up a song. And sometimes, one sticks.
I wrote one that I was proud of and for once am not embarrassed to sing it, even in front of my host family, who might not understand all the English. But heck, they encourage to share. So I'll sing my little sisters a song, sometimes in broken Kiswahili (I know how to make "my name is not Tanim, but Abdul" sound pretty dramatic) and sometimes in something meaningful.
This life is so short, and except for pausing to listen to others, I think it's important for us to express ourselves, and more importantly, find an environment (or audience) that supports that.
"Love is like a mountain, so high up you could die...so we drink it like a fountain, just to touch the sky"
Ah so corny, but ah well, these are my words, and I wrote them in a song. And I'm happy to share them.
Duty is heavier than a mountain; death is lighter than a feather. - Imperial Rescript to Soldiers and Sailors
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