We had the pleasure of talking with Shannon Book, a songwriter and singer originally from London, Kentucky. He is also a Veteran and our recent guest on Diaper and Deployments podcast.
In 1991, Book decided he wanted to defend and support his country while watching the Gulf War unfold on television. Listening to Book tells his story and what’s behind his music is inspirational to say the least. We started with “Not Alone,” a song that as Book said himself “I think that song wrote me.” At that point, Book had been on the road advocating for suicide awareness with his band. He also wanted to bring awareness to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and his experiences. He states while taking care of everyone around him he forgot about himself. Not Alone was God’s way of helping him tell his part of the story.
Many people that suffer from PTSD understand sharing their experiences, their emotions, and their thoughts can be extremely therapeutic. To understand that we’re not alone and that other people experience the same feelings or have the same thoughts is healing and the song makes you feel exactly that.
Regardless of the difficult experiences we lived, we’re not alone. There will always be someone out there that will understand what you’re going through. The song, although intense, has a positive ending which brings a sense of hope. If you have the time, we recommend you listen to the podcast as Book’s talks about his struggles and how he copes with them. It is refreshing because of how open and honest he is. All the money that Book gets from “Not Alone” goes to organizations that advocate suicide awareness and prevention.
Another song that we played while talking to Book was “I Need to Breathe”. Book wrote this song with a friend after coming back home in 2004. “I came home and I was completely…I couldn’t catch my breath… everything slowed down…sitting in a coffee shop after dealing with an explosion 2 months ago.” “I Need to Breathe it’s a very powerful song that describes an almost visceral accuracy what it’s like to come back after a traumatic experience(s). Goosebumps are an understatement. Anyone that’s been through any type of trauma will identify with this song and like Book explained. Trauma is trauma, PTSD is not an exclusive illness that affects only Veterans, but it could happen to anyone that’s been to any difficult situation.
We thank Book for everything, for all the work he’s done for the country, and for his music, which is proving to be a wonderful way to communicate the struggles that a lot of Veterans go through and connect those who feel alone.
If you ever feel alone, desperate, or that you really need to talk to someone please don’t hesitate to seek help. There are plenty of resources out there or just call a friend.
Visit www.skillmil.com/podcast to listen to this amazing conversation. If you want to know more about Shannon and get access to his social media and music just visit his website: https://linktr.ee/SHANNONBOOKMUSIC.
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