Fifty Days Underground

April 6, 2014

Who inspired today's broken heart song?

A woman who had her heart broken from her first love. They were young, and met in Washington D.C. one summer. He was from South Africa, and she lived in the States. They exchanged phone calls, emails, letters and gifts. She planned on saving up her money to buy a plane ticket to see him. But after a while, her love for him faded and she saw how unrealistic it was. He didn't take it well, and she'll always regret how sad she made him feel, and how much she resisted talking to him.

Remember is a song about remembering all the beautiful memories in a relationship that didn't last. It's about letting go of the sadness and negative emotions, and holding on to the love. I feel like it's a relatable song for anyone who has had their heart broken. It's letting someone know that no matter what happens in life, you'll always remember them and the time you shared together.

Where did you play?

14th St. F/M stop.

How much did you earn?

$19.81

Did anything unusual happen? 

The station I performed at was pretty quiet today. I love the acoustics there though. I had the time of my life singing at the top of my lungs when no one was around. Now and then a group of people would form around me and listen, and then it would be dead silent again after the train came and left.

There was a woman who watched me perform Long Way From Home from beginning to end. I definitely felt a connection between us as I was singing. When I was done, she told me it was a beautiful song and asked if I wrote it. She then told me that her husband is also a musician, a keyboardist to be exact.

When I finished playing one song, everyone started clapping. I was so immersed in the music that I didn't even realize I had an audience. That was a really beautiful moment today. Sometimes it's easy to forget that people are actually listening.

I forgot to mention the most amazing part about Friday's performance. There was a woman walking up the stairs with crutches. She had no legs. Instead, she had braces to support her. I remember watching her struggle up the stairs and thinking, "Wow, what strength." And then I thought of how many times she does that a day, a week, a month and a year. The stairs were not really close to where I was performing. She had a dollar in her hand and stopped a woman walking past her. She gave her the dollar and pointed to me. The woman came and dropped the dollar in my instrument case. To say I was touched is an understatement. I can't even begin to express the emotions that this gesture gave me. What a woman. I yelled thank you with my hand over my heart, and tears in my eyes.

Did you meet anyone interesting?

I met a stylish woman named Anne who stopped to chat about the project. She seemed really excited about it. Turns out she is a stylist blogger, and is looking to collaborate with musicians on some videos. She said she had an amazing broken heart story about unrequited love that she would send to me. We talked for a while, and then exchanged business cards before she got on to the train. It was really great connecting with her, and I'm excited to see what other projects might stem from our meeting.

What's the best advice you received from a stranger?

This is cheating because it's advice I received on Wednesday, but I think it's worth sharing:

"The number one problem that keeps people from winning in the United States today is lack of belief in themselves." -Arthur Williams

"Believe in yourself today. I do."

How are you feeling?

I feel content and at peace. I had a really relaxing weekend, and the afternoon/evening performing this week allowed me to get enough sleep so that's a huge plus. I know I always say it, but I really feel myself changing, growing and maturing these days. It's weird to think that just a few months ago, I was so emotionally drained and now I'm at a place of peace and clarity. My heart is in a really interesting, yet positive place right now. Although I'd love to share more details, I'm going to keep the emotions inside for now. After all, we're only eighteen more days away from my story.

I just received an e-mail from a student at Yeshiva University majoring in Media Studies. She wants to make a mini-documentary about Fifty Days Underground. I am completely touched. The amount of amazing people I have connected with throughout this project has been absolutely surreal. I owe this project so much. And you are the ones who made it come to life. I continue to thank my lucky stars everyday. I am starting to work on the finale, and I couldn't be more excited about it. Wishing you all a wonderful start to the week.

© 2014 Kelly Bazely