I love music. I love the juxtaposition of notes that make up everything from concertos to guitar riffs. I love the melding of voices that work together in choirs. In short, I love everything about music.
Sadly, I lack any musical talents of my own, save for a very minor skill on the piano. I cannot carry a tune. I cannot play an instrument. I cannot compose music. Despite this lack, or perhaps because of it, my appreciation for those who possess these talents is endless.
Music touches my soul in ways that mere words cannot. It reaches inside me and squeezes my heart. At church services, I feel the Spirit most while the congregation or choir is singing. How can anyone not be moved by the magnificent "How Great Thou Art?" I am no less moved by the children singing "I Am a Child of God."
It is not only spiritiual music that resonates with me. I have seen "Phantom of the Opera" four times and discover new depths in it and fresh appreciation for it every time. I marvel at Andrew Lloyd Webber and his genius in bringing the tragic story alive.
So, for today, I am grateful for music and those who give life to it.
As I read this, I was listening to an a capella version of "Down on the Corner" by Creedence sung by Street Corner Symphony. I marvel at those who make their own bodies an instrument!
ReplyDeleteOur brain's process music in a number of different regions of the brain. It's not surprising, then that for people with variety of brain injuries or diseases, from Alzheimer's to brain injury, music often remains as the last area of communication and recall. If you listen to music while exercising, you'll actually build more new neural pathways than exercising without music. Music helps us increase our understanding of the unknowables in life because it transcends the confines of language. Thank you for reminding me of the power and the gift of music.
ReplyDeleteJane, thank you for your blog, I will probably thank you every single day. I couldn't get thru most of my day w/o some music coming from the speakers in my computer. There a few songs that my co-workers know I have to stop what I'm doing, turn up the speakers, put my feet up and enjoy. . . . sometimes sing along. My kids even call and play certain songs for me thru the phone, knowing my love for them, or leave it as a message on my voice mail. I cannot listen to Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" without thinking of my beautiful Megan (my brown eyed girl who has a brown eyed girl of her own in little Hannah) I cannot hear "Riding the Storm Out" by REO Speedwagon without being transported to the delivery room at St. Mark's hospital and me "pushing" my darling Harmony into this world (they were playing this over the speakers in the delivery room and I was thinking how appropriate the words were for that cold snowy foggy night in February 26 years ago) And last but not least I introduced my oldest, Travis, to the wonders of the Rolling Stones (Sympathy for the Devil is one of my favorite songs they sing) and discussed the good and bad that is in the music. Being in the Primary, and teaching the little children the songs of our Faith is a real blessing to me. And, last but not least where would be be w/o Judy Garland's "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and all the artists who have reprised this classic. Oh. . . . . music, it makes my heart happy.
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