Everyone I know has a David Bowie Story, here's mine.

I woke up this morning to the news that David Bowie had passed away. I opened up Facebook and my feed was consumed by images of, and eulogies to the pop star. Everyone I know has a David Bowie story, here’s mine. 

My relationship to Bowie’s music is a bit complicated. I was never a die hard fan in the way that so many people around me were. Aside from all of the hits, whenever I would actually sit down and try to listen to an entire album, I would get bored. I wanted more. I wanted every composition to be as massive as the personae Bowie created and recreated for himself. The one exception is Scary Monsters. It is the only album I can listen to from beginning to end, and truly enjoy every song. It lives up to the hype. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love David Bowie’s music and his fly-your-freak-banner-high image. I’m just saying that I’m not sure that his music was as life changing for me as it was for others. That said, I can’t imagine getting out of high school alive without David Bowie, because he was life changing for the dearest friend of my life—a fellow misfit, who kept me stable and sane. Today, she wrote the following:

When I was 7 years old I saw David Bowie on TV- I was an awkward oddball little girl w/ vampire teeth, two different color eyes living in a conservative Southern Baptist community. I felt isolated and bored. Then I saw and heard BOWIE, my life changed . He gave me an anchor and hope for my own path of individuality. My 1st apartment I Xeroxed a bunch of images of BOWIE and wallpapered my hallway. For me like many of you, BOWIE was / is a light of incredible vision, courage & profound depth. I am just gutted, yet grateful to have been touched by his life course. A Golden Era is coming to an end. I LOVE YOU DAVID BOWIE. Thank you !!!!!!

The woman’s name who wrote that is Ariel, and I know without her, I wouldn’t be alive today. She is my hero and she changed my life.