We all have that happy place we like to go to. Now, I don’t necessarily mean a specific place. For some it’s music, going outside, drawing, or writing. It’s what we go to when we feel like the world is bracing down on our shoulders. It’s what we come to when we feel like we could just burst out in laughter, feeling happy, and ecstatic with joy. It’s the best of both worlds. It nurtures us when we are fallen and guides us when we are lost. No matter what happens in life, it is always there for us throughout the ups and downs. It’s in between dreams, and the real world.    

When I was little, I grew up having this one special album I would always listen to. I would play it to fall asleep, on my tiny CD player I kept in the corner my room. If I went somewhere else for the night, I would always take my CD player with me so I would be able to listen to the music, because my CD player was like a lifeline to me. Even though I didn't always understand the true meaning of the lyrics, I still loved and cherished his music, the good vibes, and the way it flowed smoothly. One weekend, in 2010 was a life-changing moment for me. I was in Connecticut with my uncle, and I got a surprise of a lifetime.

  I found out that I was going to a Jack Johnson concert! I was ecstatic, thrilled to see my favorite singer. We drove over to Hartford, which was only a few minutes away from my uncle's house. From there we tailgated in the parking lot, and I remember getting a terrific-tie-dye-tee-shirt that said, To The Sea, and Jack Johnson on it, with all of the locations from his 2010 tour on the back. I still have it to this day. After that, we sat down on the lawn, and it was one of the best times of my life. I remember singing along and being so happy to be there. From that moment on I have always felt a special connection to his music, and as I’ve gotten older and older, I always enjoy singing along to his songs, because I know them by heart. Now, however, I understand more about what he is actually saying, and the points he is trying to get across to people in his music. It has even affected a few things I believe in, and some of my views on the world. The albums To The Sea, In Between Dreams, and Sleep Through The Static has been very special to me ever since my parents introduced me to them. When I listen to his music, I don’t only listen to the words, I also feel nostalgic, and I am reminded of the sea, being with my family, and all happy memories

I am reminded of specific lyrics, at different points and conflicts in my life, like "Love is the answer, At least for most of the questions in my heart". It’s as if the words have engraved themselves into my soul as they guide me in my day to day life. In Between Dreams is like my savior. When I’m feeling down, I can always count on it to bring me up. When I'm happy and I want to be reminded of good times, it always helps me with that as well. The different songs in the album, such as “Better Together” and “Banana Pancakes” each remind me of a special memory or person connected to it. We all have that happy place we go to. It’s as if it's in between dreams, and the real world.