I just wanted to share a song that I feel everyone should bring into their lives. Since it has come into mine I have learned to rely on it as a means of calming myself down and keeping a level head when facing problems. This might have something to do with the fact that it starts off with the words, "Calm down, deep breaths, and get yourself dressed..."

The name of this little gem is "Details in the Fabric", from Jason Mraz's album We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things. It features James Morrison, another gentlemen with a soothing, distinctive voice. The melody is simple and sweet, and the words gently encourage you to calm down, face facts, and get through the ugliness.

I always liked Jason Mraz. In college I listened to a lot of (shhh) bootleg samples of his early work, before "The Remedy" became a hit, and tended to like his old work, or just him and his guitar, much better. Although I couldn't resist the catchy little delight of "I'm Yours", either, and never tired of hearing it multiple times while working at Starbucks. So I considered myself a pretty lukewarm fan my friend offered me a free ticket to join her and see him perform live.

What a surprise! The same summer I saw U2, Paul McCartney, and Bruce Springsteen, I saw Jason Mraz and fell in love. He's an incredible performer, so much fun to watch and incredibly talented. I went out and bought the album We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things the very next day. It was then that I began to wonder how I had ever lived without his music in my life.

Especially when I reached the song "Details in the Fabric". Despite my summer of fun, I had...and have been...coping with some pretty intense situations. My job threatens to let me go every week, the twenty-something dating scene is like swimming in shark infested waters, my grandfather has cancer, my mom's losing her mind, my friends are all just as overwhelmed by this situation known as the Real World...and yet, when I turn on that song, I am serene. It's impossible not to be. In fact, the very reason he wrote that song was to help his friend through a difficult time. It's simple, beautiful, real...

I could do without the voicemail in the end that compares someone to an "island of reality in an ocean of diarrhea". Bit too much of a jolt back to reality. But it's also just another excuse to start the song over and listen to it again.