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Every Seat Has A Story: Songwriting on the Fly

sjacques
Explorer C

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always loved to travel but never loved to fly. There’s something about the takeoff and landing that makes my heart pound a little faster than usual. Like many, I find ways to distract myself from my fear, including ordering a drink!  On my most recent flight home to Los Angeles from Nashville, I read the Southwest napkin for the first time as I sipped on my drink. The word Cheers popped out at me, and inspiration came flooding in as I quickly began scribbling lyrics on the napkin. I’m a singer-songwriter currently pursuing my country music dreams like never before. Writing a song on a cocktail napkin isn't necessarily out of place for me. The difference this time had to do with the week I had just experienced in Music City, surrounded by kids striving every moment to become the next star. I couldn’t contain my renewed energy. The drink, the cocktail napkin, and the hours on a plane perfectly aligned like stars to inspire my lyrics. The first song I wrote is called Cheers to the Life. It embodies and captures how amazing it is to live your dreams and be able to share it with the world! As I was writing, I looked around at my fellow Passengers and thought about how all of these people have moments in their lives that they cheers to and how many of those moments lead them to travel. The second song I wrote is called Afraid to Fly. I see the fear people have of flying in planes being very similar to the fear people have of going to new heights in their personal lives. The lyrics speak to the idea of taking the leap and how going places is the only way we’ll ever expand our worlds. How can we experience anything if we stay in the same place feeling afraid, always on solid ground, with no bumps? This song represents the faith that we must all have if we truly want to soar above the clouds. Flying Southwest is standard for me today, taking me to the places I need to go to make my dreams soar. When I’m flying with them, I think less about the flight because it’s so seamless. My focus is on where I’m headed whether it is a familiar city or new opportunity. Thanks Southwest Airlines for the free bags, the free drinks, and the endless inspirations.