On Repeat For a Reason: The Song That Stuck with Me & Why It Matters

Have you ever heard a song that you just had to have on repeat forever? One that has never annoyed you because you could somehow FEEL the lyrics were applicable to your life? Or formed some kind of emotional attachment to something (an experience, for example) because of it?

Well, looks like I'm back writing more introspective content for you! Perhaps this is an original experience for me or maybe some of you have also experienced a certain inexplicable, very deep connection with a song. I am going to tie this into my travel experiences - a very simple concept, that is super easy to think about but tough to put in words. I am going to do my absolute best to get the words to cooperate with me here...

So, a little bit of a backstory... this is an experience from June 2025, meaning I had just completed my first program at Conestoga... the Tourism: Destinations & Travel Management program. My grandparents, parents and myself went on a river cruise that began in Switzerland and concluded in the Netherlands. The Rhine River is one of the main (and most popular) rivers that runs through Europe from Switzerland to the North Sea. The cruise line we took was Emerald Waterways. Not only was the scenery beautiful but the service onboard and the onboard experience overall is absolutely worth the mention, too.

We started the journey by taking a few strolls along the river in Basel, Switzerland. That on its own is an experience that is tough to describe. Mild spring air with the background of the river and European architecture? YES PLEASE! We had the hotel near the original point of departure but then a few days before, they had moved the departure point and changed the ship due to the original ship getting stuck in low water levels somewhere on the river. So, not only did the departure point change, we were on an entirely different ship than originally scheduled! Talk about needing to be open minded and ready for change!

I was scrolling Instagram leading up to the cruise and one song in particular stood out to me. I had never heard it before and it became a part of my daily routine for the week. You’re definitely wondering what the song was now, aren’t you? Well, it’s one that many might not know. Max McNown, one of my favourite artists from the country world wrote it. It’s called Better Me For You (Brown Eyes).

The way this song stuck with me is unbelievable. I can never skip it to this day!

I have this ability to connect a song to any experience I have. It doesn't really have to make sense to anyone else, or myself for that matter. It just happens. I really wish I could tell you how and why it happens but it's just natural.

Never in a million years did I think I would intentionally listen to the same song several times a day and not get bored of it. To this day, I listen to this song and it immediately transports me back to the magical experience of river cruising (my favourite way to see Europe btw). Of course, the song is supposed to have a particular meaning but from my perspective, it takes on this almost indescribable new meaning that comes with a physical feeling, too.

I think it all starts in my head, well before I can grasp what is going on. Flashbacks to the single room I had, the evenings in the lounge with laughter and joy all around me (we are all on that ship to have a good time, mind you!). However, it's not all the memories that come flooding in, just the small, most memorable pieces of it. That is a special feeling for me.

Then I start to feel it in my chest. It's a warm, yet heavy feeling, like the moments I can recall meant a whole lot more than I anticipated. My stomach drops a little, only because I know I can never go back to these exact moments in my life. It's not that I'm sad about it at all, because I am able to relive the moment for just a second, and then the realization that the moment has been and gone leaves that all too familiar bittersweet taste in my mouth.

These feelings are all a natural part of the travel experience. Whether you feel them during your trip or after the trip, I am certain that at some point or another, there will be a trigger that allows all the good times (sometimes the bad, too, because that's another natural part of life) to show up in your thoughts. Whether it's a song, a sign or a word that brings the memories to the surface, there will always be something connected to experiences that may make flashbacks to the moment possible.

The quiet, reflective moments you spend sitting at a gate, waiting for a plane to take you to a new destination (perhaps waiting for a river ship or any other mode of transport could bring the same feeling to the surface), wondering what will happen next... those are the moments that make leading a curious life so wonderful.

My advice to you is: lean into the uncertainty and trust that it will guide you to your next destination, and opportunities to make new memories. Ultimately, I think that is what being a traveller can be described as, and making connections to special moments makes it all worth it in the end. Step out of your comfort zone, and feel all the feelings (don't shove them under the bed!), because it could lead to the most unforgettable experiences you may not have had if you hadn't taken the risk.