Song-carrying wind
WordPress has a feature I find quite useful: it suggests writing ideas in case you're stuck. And today, it asks me what superpower I wish to have and why.
For as long as I can reason, I wanted to be like the wind, to fly everywhere and anywhere. There are places I want to visit, such as the Sagrada Familia - the enormous cathedral of Gothic and Art Nouveau inspiration that has been under construction since 1882 - and other architectural works designed by Antoni Gaudi.
As a human being, of course I could visit them. But as the wind, I could enjoy the feeling of blowing through the columns and latticework; I could circle around the sculptures and spires atop the towers; I could descend to the basement and squeeze through the cracks between the bricks and stones; I could come and go, and then come and go again, day or night, rain or shine; no one would bother me, and I would bother no one.
In 2021, I stumbled upon a video on YouTube that I consider a treasure: Eagles – Live At Capital Centre 1977 full show. Sadly, that video is no longer available; only individual songs from that show remain. It was one of the experiences that could be called life-changing for me. I knew the Eagles before, and I loved rock music, but there was something magical about that 1977 show. I watched it over and over again, and thought to myself, if the recorded version was this good, then experiencing it firsthand must be even more amazing. I found myself imagining me as the wind, but now instead of going places, I go through times and attended rock concerts in the past.
My fictional superpower was upgraded once again with my discovery of X Japan. During their last show from their old era (the show was called The Last Live), when the final song, The Last Song, came to an end, the melody didn’t completely fade away but lingered in the air, blending with the audience’s incessant cheers, all intertwining like a cry reaching the sky. I wish I could become a wind to carry those hauntingly beautiful melodies to every corner of the world. We’ve all probably heard that music has healing power, and as the wind, I want to spread that powerful music as far and wide as possible. Somewhere on this earth, someone is struggling, someone is holding on. I couldn’t give them anything tangible to grab, but in my experience, sometimes intangible motivation is the mightier one. Of course, I’m fully aware that music taste is personal and not everyone will vibe with the same songs. But I believe good music has that power: to calm your mind and make you want to be kind.
Epilogue
Although my dream superpower comes from my independent thinking and temperament, the idea of the wind carrying melody isn’t uniquely mine. Yanni, a Greek musician, wrote in his song Almost A Whisper:
I don’t have all the answers to your sad prayers
But if I could I’d give you angel’s wings
To go where hope is found
With strength to reach beyond
And carries like a song upon the wind
I fell in love with this song when I was very young, but I forgot about it as I grew older. Therefore, it’s hard to say whether the idea of turning into the wind to carry beautiful melodies was truly mine. Perhaps this similarity is just a coincidence. But it’s also possible that what I liked has sunk into my subconscious, and even though I don’t remember it, it’s always there, ready to resurface when the chance calls.