"Do you want to play a specific song today?” Angel’s* Friend, Mary, asks as they climb into the car.

“Let’s just put the playlist on shuffle,” Angel answers.

Angel and Mary’s car rides often start this way. They like to explore artists, analyze lyrics, or even simply sit in silence and listen to music together.

For a middle child with five siblings, silence can be scarce. It is especially important for 13-year-old Angel, who, though she easily makes friends, tends to be quieter and more reserved. When Mary first met Angel, her family was living at the SAFE Alliance Emergency Shelter. Shortly after, the family moved north of Austin for about six months before they faced eviction and needed to move again. Throughout the course of seventh grade, Angel attended three different schools and at times was not even enrolled in a school between moves. Mary continued to serve Angel and support the family throughout this time.

Amidst so much instability, music has been an important part of Mary and Angel’s relationship. Athough it took some time for Angel to open up to Mary, music has become a way for them to communicate.

“We have some shared music tastes, and I remember listening to some of those artists when I was her age,” Mary says. “It’s so specific to that era of being a teenager. I remember having the same feelings that I see her starting to experience. It used to feel like it was the end of the world when something bad happened. But Angel never really seems panicked. Even with everything that has happened over the past year, she has come out on the other end and seems to be pretty at peace with herself. She is still kind and caring to those around her. I have the sense that she already knows that, even when things go wrong, it’s not the end of the world. I hope to keep reminding her of that.”

This shared understanding makes quiet moments, like driving in the car on an outing, even more special: “Angel has taught me that silence can be really healing and golden,” says Mary. “Listening to music together while we drive, letting her look out the window, can be the most meaningful way to listen to what she wants to say.”

*Youth name changed for privacy.