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Every Little Thing by April Jeppson

Every once in a while I find a song, and I need to feast on it. Listening to it once or twice doesn’t do the trick. I need to memorize every beat and note. I need to become best friends with it. I’m currently on day two of listening to “White Winter Hymnal” by Pentatonix. I’ve been aware of the song for awhile, but when I heard it the other day, it got stuck in my head. I’m not sure if overdosing on the song will help release its hold on me, I just know that I must listen to it until the craving is gone.

During a conversation with a co-worker this morning, my current musical preference came up. She gave me a very confused look and said, “all day? Like eight hours of the same song?” I giggled and said, “Yes.” I explained that I will listen to this song for as long as I need until I no longer have the desire. She said she could listen to the same song maybe twice before she’d be sick of it. So I’m going to guess that if you’re reading this, you can either relate to me, or you absolutely cannot.

As I’ve continued to learn more about my ADHD, I’ve discovered that many of my quirks, (like needing to listen to the same song on repeat for days) are actually symptoms. So instead of trying to fight this odd urge, I recognize that there is no harm in allowing myself to succumb, and I simply let it happen. If I shared a cubicle with someone I would need to wear headphones. Otherwise my co-worker would probably cause harm to my speakers.

On a separate but similar note, I love listening to acapella music. I think it’s so fascinating how everyone can hear which note they are supposed to hit. As hard as I try and for as much as I want to be able to harmonize, I’m just not that great at it. My ear hears the lead, and my voice follows. I’ve sung harmony a few times, but I had to practice those songs for hours in order to train my brain. So to see and hear people that naturally have that gift, I’m always in awe.

The song that I’m listening to is a beautiful acapella rendition. It allows me to play around with which singer I’d like to pair my voice with. I guess I’ve been unknowingly practicing harmony for the last day and half. Now I’m suddenly aware that perhaps I’ve been practicing too loud and people outside of my office may have heard these jam sessions. However, as quickly as I typed that sentence, I got over my stage fright and no longer care. No one has complained to me yet, so I’ll just carry on.

There is so much negativity and darkness in the world. I try my hardest to rise above and not let it get me down. Listening to my favorite music is one of my most utilized battle tactics in the fight against negativity. Singing loud to those songs amplifies the effectiveness and makes my bubble of good energy almost impenetrable.

If my calculations are correct, by tomorrow, I should be high-fiving strangers and skipping everywhere I go.

Albert Lean April Jeppson is a wife, mom, coach and encourager of dreams. Her column appears every Saturday.