Some stories knock the wind out of you—and then hand it back with a knowing smile.

This week’s song came from a passenger on a long flight to Vancouver. He was warm, kind, and generous with his time. When I handed him the journal and asked for a song tied to a memory, I never expected the story that followed.

This episode is about:

• The fragile line between chaos and calm

• The unexpected levity of perfect musical timing

• How the right music can provide an emotional release

Sometimes music finds us. And when it does, it can reframe even the most intense human moments with grace, humor, and humanity.

Get the transcript at HappinessSoundtrack.com/stories/ep3.

Janna Barrett is a commercial flight attendant who’s fascinated by the associations we form with music. On her birthday in 2024, she went on a year-long music diet, giving up all the music she’d ever heard before. Janna started a collaborative journal to get music recommendations, asking people to write about a song they associate with a happy memory. But after falling in love with the question as a method for connection, she is now on a mission to prove that everyone has a song.