joconnor015

twloha:

“My Favorite Place”
Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers

Five years ago, I hit a wall. It was a tall, dark, and unfamiliar wall. Being the extremely happy person that I was, I never guessed anything like this could ever happen to me. Don’t get me wrong—at sixteen my life was far from perfect, but I always seemed to make the best out of every bad thing that came my way. I carried a smile with me every day, because I knew other people needed it sometimes more than I did. But when I hit that wall, everything in my life came crashing down. The wall stayed there; tall, dark, and it seemed to circle around me more with every passing day.

My depression got to the point where I contemplated suicide as a way to get past this wall. But on a crucial night, a photo saved my life, and I realized I had a purpose. My life had been given to me because I had a reason to exist. I would be lying if I said things got better that day, because they didn’t. The darkness still engulfed me, but it was slightly more bearable. The photo brought a light, and I held on.

Over the past five years, I’ve kept struggling. I’ve battled depression along with self-injury. I have fallen down into the darkness and come up to breath in the light. I have been crying on the floor, and I’ve been jumping in the sun. I have lived through a personal hell, and I have been rescued from it. Throughout all of this, I have found my favorite place. I’ve learned to dance through rain or shine.

“It’s time I was getting back home
Where the sound is the song in my heart”

I define home a little differently than most. The place where I grew up is thousands of miles away. I’ve lived in three different countries and three different states in the U.S, and I have traveled a lot in my life. Every single place I’ve visited has felt like my favorite. For me, home is not a physical space but a state of mind. I feel at home when I feel completely comfortable and true to who I am. It was hard to reach that point in my life, but I can now say I have found it. I found a place in my heart that rejoices in the small things. A heart that is healed, but one that remembers the brokenness. A heart that is hopeful.

A few weeks ago, we went to Orlando for a TWLOHA event, and I heard about Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers for the first time. Between being at the TWLOHA booth and enjoying the concert, I remember stopping in my tracks when this song came up. I leaned against the banister at The Social and listened to every word. This song is full of hope. I realized, in that moment, this was my favorite place. The moment that was happening and ticking by as soon as I became aware of it, was my favorite place. Every second I live and breathe is my favorite place.

“This is my favorite place
My worry slips away
I could stay here for
Days and days and days and days and days”

I have learned to live each day as it comes. I am thankful for every morning I wake up. I never know what tomorrow may bring, but I am only thinking about today. I don’t know if the battle is going to get tough again, but I know that I can make it through. One day at a time, every morning a new sunrise.

“This is my favorite place
It’s written on my face”

I live every day with as much joy as my heart can hold, because I know that my life is a gift. I am alive for a reason. I have made it through this far, and I know I have a purpose. I am happy to be in my favorite place.

—Raquel
Fall 2011 Intern

youarebeautiful:

Volcano (Damien Rice Cover) - Folks.

Download.

It is finally here, my dedicated and loyal followers, just as we promised. We finally sat down and re-recorded the song that you guys have been asking for. We first recorded this song 3 years ago in a bedroom, and haven’t even thought of touching the recording since, but after seeing the wonderful feedback we got on the video our friend Luca Venter made we decided to head back to it, and here it is, matured voices and all. Just wait for the originals we have in store.

(via copycats)