Music is something that I don't normally post about on my site, but as Chester Bennington and Linkin Park have been a major part of my life for many years, shaping who I am today, I decided to write my thoughts down and get them out in the open.
Linkin Park. To some
people, they’re just a band. But to
others, like myself, they were an integral part of our lives. I remember falling in love with this band
after the very first time I heard them.
I was entranced. Their music was
so powerful, so emotional, and I connected to it in a deep way. Their music molded my young adult life. Needless to say, they became a major part of
who I am today. This is why the death of
Chester Bennington hit me so hard. It
was almost like a part of me died with him.
Now, I understand that I had never met Chester, and, to
some, it may seem strange to get so emotional over someone you never even met,
but it’s not about knowing someone on a personal level. It’s about the connections made. When you love something so passionately, and
that thing becomes a part of what makes you you, losing that thing can be
devastating.
When I heard about Chester’s death, I cried. I’m not ashamed to admit that. I sobbed on my couch in front of my 2 ½ year
old daughter (who, by the way, could tell I was upset and came over and gave me
a big hug). I was absolutely
heartbroken, as if a member of my own family had died. I honestly don’t remember the last time a
celebrity death hit me this hard. I’ve
been sad before, but this was something else…something deeper.
Like I said, Linkin Park is a major part of who I am
today. So much so that I have a tattoo
of their logo on my forearm. I even got flame
half-sleeves because of Chester. It was
a symbol of me breaking out of my shell, becoming the person I knew I could be,
and wished I was throughout high school.
And it is something I look at every single day of my life to remind myself of that. Linkin Park even allowed me to build a deeper bond with my best friend, John. There’s so much I owe to Linkin Park, and to
Chester in particular.
Mental illness is something that needs to be taken
seriously, and people need to realize that even those who bring joy to others
can be suffering deep down inside themselves.
So please, talk to someone, find a way to keep going on. No one should ever have to suffer alone.
RIP Chester. You will
live on forever in my heart, and the hearts of millions of other people around
the world. I wish you could know just
how much you meant to us, but now, hopefully, you’re at peace, and you will
never be forgotten. We love you.
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