Letter #7

Dear @TheFray,

The day "Heartbeat" came out, a couple of things happened. First, I bought that song like I had been first in line, camped out all night in front of the music store. Except I just got it on iTunes at 7:45 am when you notified the world of the release.

The second thing that happened was this: your lyrics were probably sent straight from heaven to me yet again. I don't just say that to flatter you (even though I hope you're flattered). I say it because it's true. I feel like the words were written just for me. And I'm sure the meaning to me is somewhat a different perspective, but that's the beauty of your music. Everyone can take the lyrics and make them mean something to each fan.

For me, this song reminds me the lesson that I've had to be re-taught: to open myself up again and allow people into my life. Last year I got my heart broken by someone, and I truly thought I had lost my ability to trust others. I closed off from everyone I knew and I shut down. I'm still learning how to cope with the pain, because I was in an emotionally abusive relationship, and it's hard to admit to anyone, let alone myself. Admitting that here is embarrassing and uncomfortable, but I'm hoping it will let you see how much this one song means to me, and I want others to be able to know that this isn't just a stupid hopeless fan thing.

I have been playing this song repeatedly since I bought it, and I only wish you could feel what I feel when I hear those beautiful words. Isaac Slade and Joe King, you two are the only artists who truly reach my soul with your voices. David Welsh and Ben Wysocki, you two and your passionate instrumentals complete the circle. I don't know what I'd do without The Fray.

"Heartbeat" reminds me every day of the conversations I have had with my parents about the broken relationship. They tell me that I need to forgive and move on, and I can still love the ones who hurt me, and I can still love the ones who don't hurt me. I just need to remember that one part of love is moving on from the pain; I don't just push past it, I work through it and I get on with life.

Don't look back, not for anything
If you love someone, you love them all the same

xoxo,
Erin