I was listening to music earlier today and the above heartfelt song came on. Today being a day of love and showing those close to you that you care about them, I was prompted to think about those that were close to me who have since passed from this earth. This song always makes me think long and hard about life and how I’m living it…and, as the song’s title implies - “Choices”. The song was written by indie musician Charles Hamilton, and has an intriguing story behind it that I think all can relate to on some level and learn from. Read the story below, and listen to the song all the way through, especially the last minute or two…then think about the choices you make, even if they’re generally good. As the end of this song says, “life is precious”…isn’t that the truth.
When Charles’ life and career started falling apart, shortly around his last official blog post, he was going through hard times. Charles and his uncle moved in with a family in Southern California, and while he got his head on straight, the family became like his second family. During the recording of his second album, the family’s nephew (Alex Capozza) was killed in a drunk driving accident (he got in a car with a drunk driver), and Charles witnessed his families mourning and pain first hand. Though he did not know Alex himself, Charles feels that Alex was with him during the recording of this song. The song above is a dedication to Alex, who was also an amateur surfer…listen to it as a memorial and as a lesson. Love life, and enjoy it - but make sure you all don’t let situations like the one that Alex was unfortunately in happen to you. Charles also wrote a letter to the family about the song, and an explanation of why he wrote it and what he felt when he did. Listen to the song and read the letter and artwork (which is the picture in the video), which was drawn by Alex days before his death. Ironically, the graphic reads, “Choices”.
The song “Choices” - A Wave For Alex, serves as a reminder of how precious and short our existence is and how our fate can be altered by the choices we make. I swear I could feel Alex as I wrote this song, guiding me through his last moments as if they were my own. Alex paid dearly for the choice of getting in a car with a drunk driver at the wheel. Without the intervention of some very supportive people, I was on a path to a similar destiny. It is hard to think about my own bad choices and substance abuse days and this reminds me of how grateful I am to be surrounded by people, including your family, who cared enough to get me back on track. Although I never had the opportunity to meet your brother, your family has become part of my extended family and this tragedy has had a profound affect on me. My heartfelt prayers go out to you.
This song is dedicated to Alex. I can only hope that this serves as a reminder that we should all make wise choices. Listen carefully to the lyrics of this song. Peace.
- Charles Hamilton -
