Songs have a way of speaking to the soul, whether it’s through the lyrics, the music, or a combination of both. Sometimes a song is able to bring light to a very dark, dismal situation.

There is one song that puts my situation into perspective and helps me see things through my boyfriend’s eyes. “Miles Away” by Memphis May Fire is the song I turn to for understanding.

First verse: I pack my bags and say goodbye to my wife for what seems like the millionth time. They said it gets easier but they lied. She looks at me and says, “Really, baby, I will be just fine.” But then she looks away so I don’t have to see her cry. And that is when I ask myself:

My boyfriend does all of the traveling in our relationship. He is always the one having to leave, the one that has to say goodbye and walk away.

Chorus: How am I supposed to be everything they expect me to be when I feel so alone, cause I left my heart at home? She needs me, but I know they need me too. So God give me the strength to do what You created me to do.

 The chorus makes me realize that even though he hates leaving me behind, he is doing this to better our future. He is following the path to become what he feels God created him to be, and for that I only admire him more.

Second verse: Really, I’m so thankful for the people I meet, the places I’ve been and the things I’ve seen, but when she’s not here it doesn’t feel like I’m living my dream. I know they say that no one is perfect, but I swear she’s perfect for me, and that makes it so much harder to leave.

My SO has seen so much since he left our hometown. He has met people in his industry who will be crucial to his career development. He has seen more of this country in the last four years than I’ve seen in my 22 years of life. This verse allows me to see that if he had stayed here in our small, Southern hometown, he would never see anything.

Bridge: If you miss me, I’m just a phone call away. Please be strong, be strong for me. I need you to show me how to change the inside of me. For my heart, for their sake. Be strong, be strong for me.

The bridge gets me every time. He is always so strong, always so positive when it comes to this distance, but if I weren’t strong too it would just drag him down. He would never realize his dream, and it would be my fault. Yes, it is okay to feel lonely or sad every now and then, but the success of my relationship relies on both parties being strong for one another. As long as he is strong for me, I will be strong for him.

“Miles Away” by Memphis May Fire is the song I turn to when I am wondering, why me? Why us? It puts the distance into perspective. This will not last forever. It has made our relationship stronger. He is out there doing what he loves, and securing our future in the process. Would I have realized all of this without the help of a song? Perhaps, but it’s nice to able to listen to it when I’m feeling low.

I challenge you to find a song that speaks to you, a song that makes the distance just a bit easier to handle. Feel free to share that special song with us, as well as why it is important to you, in the comments section!