song: count your stars

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jyg4v0urEAc

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now this song challenged me a lot, count your stars is a piece from 2021, this was actually the first song I wrote after not touching music or singing at all for maybe 1.5 to 2 years? The timeline is a bit foggy, but I remember the exact feeling I had when getting back to music-making with the piano and my voice.

I had lost my whole voice, not in a way when you get sick, but in a way where you haven't used it and left it unused for a very long period, I had lost all my strength and muscle for projecting and singing. And yeah, I just remember being so surprised and a bit disappointed that I could hear how bad my hiatus was, and how sad I was to not even sing, play or even listen to music.

Obviously that's changed, but looking back at it, it's really wild to think my relationship with music has always been rocky, but I've always come back to it. A lot of my song writing captured the grief, pain and hurt, growing up, but I feel like it had taken a turn in 2021.

I started to write more positive and comforting songs even with the pain and hurt.

count your stars is a song that holds a space for the friendship I have with a dear friend I met in 2021, they're someone that really brought me out of my funk, and the space that we shared was super supportive, healing and fun,

and I think the key thing about what this song means and what it holds a space for is that:

even if it seems really dark, lonely, overwhelming

count your stars (meaning anything that comforts you, brings you joy, memory, a person, object)

and know that they shine throughout the day and throughout the night

and as a friend,

i want you to know that I'm by your side

24 hours whenever we got the time (this is true for many friendships we do get busy, but we're here)

This song is honestly just a big soft reminder that you are not alone, to hold on and that there are stars, the things that you can hold onto even when it seems like it's just been a really big black hole. If you're able to count your stars, eventually you'll light the way and see the beauty.

It's a pretty positive and hopeful song, yet also pays homage that it does get pretty rough and between every friendship (relationship), it's hard to fully be present without life getting in between.

So for my dear friend who loves sloths, thank you for inspiring this song with our serendipitous meeting and how quickly our souls clicked. I am so thankful and lucky to have you in my life.

I also think that this song also relates to a quote that I received on a gift from another friend where it said:

good friends are like stars. you don't always see them, but you know they're always there

So yeah, this song was a Christmas Gift for that friend, as well as my first song back after not doing music for a while. I believe it took maybe a month to write and finalize, but I was honestly super in the zone, going back into the piano like I never left it, improvising and just having fun with it.

Another thing I want to mention is that right at the end, my last two lines are

so count your stars today

build a ladder everyday

The meaning behind these two lines reference something I hold dear and that grounds me in how I show up and value things in my life

counting your stars is like the practice of being present to what brings us joy, gratitude and relief, the moments that give us comfort and that awe, to see there is a good side to each day, no matter how tired we can be, we are here, we are breathing, keep going my loves.

build a ladder every day

the build a ladder phrase is from one of my favourite youtubers, who used build a ladder as a philosophy that we are building a ladder out of our funks, out of our dark chasms, with rungs, these rungs are little moments like the stars, and one step at a time, we'll get out of our funk. In the youtuber's case, she deals with chronic illness and fatigue, so building a ladder and adding these rungs are her way of coping and climbing out of it. You can check out her philosophy and story here!

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alriggghttt, I'm not sure how to turn this into a full reflection prompt, but we're going to try, I have a feeling it might be similar to the ride your wave and burn to ashes one.

so i invite you to take a moment and reflect:

sometimes life can feel like an empty dark galaxy, and how can you notice and count your stars? What are the little joys, moments and wins that can light the way for you? To make living just a bit more bearable and filled with a little more light?

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I don't know how else to phrase that, but how can you count your stars today?

What are some stars that you hold onto? That always give you comfort?

The people or memories that have past and gone or aren't here, but you know they're still there.

Maybe I should've done that, my hope through this prompt is that we have things to ground ourselves in and that they inspire and empower us to keep on going, to keep on surviving and vibing.

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next week, I will be sharing another creative prompt to feel where I'll take the reflection prompt and make a little art or journaling exercise out of it, that you could try yourself too!

I have done creative journaling prompts for all songs, so check them out below or on the blog homepage ~ the posts start with feel:

this space is open for you to share what you thought and felt from the song or this reflection <3

if you have reached this far, thank you so much for reading and holding a space with me.

Take care always,

MAP2