Soundtrack to my Summer: I Won't Give Up

Some songs make you want to dance your butt off. Some songs cause you want to hum along underneath your breath. And some songs strike you right through the heart.

I’m the type of girl who tends to bypass the catchy beats and beautiful melodies and go straight for the soulful lyrics. My favorite songs are usually the ones with which I can identify. These are the ones that seem to understand what I’m going through. And more often than not, they’re only accompanied by a single guitar.

Matt Wertz and Ben Rector didn’t bring me anything new this summer, but Jason Mraz delivered with his beautiful single, I Won’t Give Up.

I attended four weddings this summer and was invited to two others. I saw many of my dearest friends commit their lives to each other, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer. Also this summer, my best friend got engaged. Every weekend was filled with showers and rehearsal dinners and wedding planning.

If my summer had a theme song, this would be it. Whether I was taking silly pictures in a photo booth, raising my glass in a toast or slow dancing with my boyfriend on the dance floor, I was surrounded by love.

And not just romantic love, but best friends for life love and only daughter love and let’s see where this takes us love. And in these moments, this was my go-to song. Because these moments weren’t always easy. Decorating for a wedding can be stressful. Four hour drives to unfamiliar places are sure to get you lost and mad at each other. Meeting tons of new people is sure to make you feel uncomfortable and out of place.

And it’s during these tough times that Mraz’s lyrics ring true.

“Cause even the stars they burn. Some even fall to earth. We’ve got a lot to learn. God knows we’re worth it. No, I won’t give up.”

The lyrical masterpiece begins oh-so tenderly, basking his lover in beautiful poetry. As the song continues, the music builds. As the music builds, the emotion strengthens. Mraz makes you believe he is singing an honest ballad to a lifetime love.

The Celebrity Café said Mraz has created “an unforgettable melody and a love story that inspires.”

“The song feels like Mraz sat down with his guitar and just let the performance create itself organically,” Café writer Chelsea Lewis wrote. “The melody and lyrics seem effortless.”

Effortless. Honest. Real. That’s what I hear every time this song pops up on my playlist. These are the songs that touch the heart and truly never get old. These are the songs you don’t give up on.

What is your go-to song when you desire the real and the true? What songs hit you right in the chest?