I can’t play a note of music. All my siblings were in the high school marching band. My dad insisted we all take piano lessons when we were children. But music was not destined to be one of my creative talents. Yet somehow, more than a beautiful photograph, more than an evocative poem, more than a dramatic sculpture, music moves my soul.
Recently, I attended a memorial service for a dear friend. As the first notes of music were played, I could feel my heart tremble. This song brought all my feelings right to the raw surface. It was not a typical song for such an occasion, but was a song I had always loved. Something about the acoustic presentation, given by three young men, just seemed to touch on the gamut of emotions I was experiencing.
“Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” — Red Auerbach
We all have particular songs that immediately take us back to certain times in our lives. Be it a childhood song, a holiday ditty, a heavy rock ballad from college. Like the smell of your mother’s signature dish, music helps us create life-long memories.
There was a time where I was really dedicated to my music library. I’ll even date myself and admit that I still have the mixed tapes I made in my youth. And while the digital age may make it easy to create your own soundtrack, I’m ashamed to admit I’ve never made a single playlist. In fact, we haven’t purchased any new music in many years.
Somehow when my children came along, my music disappeared. Maybe it was the necessary quiet of achieving naptime, or trying to hear what my 7-year-old has to say from the back of the van, but it seems that the melody, and probably a lot of harmony, has been missing from my days.
So I’m working on turning on the radio, getting out those old CDs, maybe even those mixed tapes (if I can find something to play them on!). I’ve really enjoyed using websites like Pandora and Last.fm, where I can input a couple of artists I enjoy, and the site suggests others I’d like. And I think it is time I finally buy some new tunes.
What do you do to make sure music is part of your everyday life? Is there a website or technology that works best in your busy life? Make me feel better … how long has it been since you brought a new song home?
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