Reggae was not a part of my childhood. Bluegrass, blues, folk, jazz (Dixieland!), 60s-70s country, 'classic' rock .. those were my references.
Then I took a couple of trips to Jamaica. And sat on the beach. And listened to the rhythm of the music and watched the rhythm of the waves, and it all kind of clicked.
In the years since I have had excellent mentors, and through them have learned that the rhythm of reggae is the rhythm of the water, of the mountains, of the plains, of the air, of the people, and of life.
There are dozens of these songs in my head, and they will be realized.