Volume 1: Tune Time

Growing up, I spent a majority of my time with my family’s nanny, Melanie. It was through our car rides together and conversations that I learned and absorbed many of my rudimentary values. As we would drive and listen to music after school, on the way to the park, or during any other outing, Melanie would share her life stories. These funny or touching anecdotes consistently concluded with her delivery of a moral lesson, such as the Golden Rule. In this sub-archive, I choose to compile a list of songs that remind me of not only our time together, but that also instigate the blissful feeling of childhood naivety. While this is no longer my music of choice, I strongly associate these songs with a necessity for open-mindedness. The primary value emphasized was Melanie’s demand for me to ‘never judge a book by its cover’ and instead provide every person an equal opportunity to demonstrate their character prior to my own personal evaluation.

As I have grown up and become more aware of the implicit biases I sometimes act upon, I often look back in gratitude for those car rides. The personal, vulnerable level of her stories allowed me to actualize myself in her situation. Through understanding Melanie’s experiences, I often absorbed and put into actions those lessons. My childhood innocence coupled with our strong bond and her vulnerability allowed her words to make an unforgettable impact and mold my persona.