I grew up in a home with music, but I have come to learn that not all homes had music. Some homes had TV noise in the background, others had animal noises, and others had children yelling and laughing. It is natural for me to hear music in our home now and I love that my children have grown up with music playing in their home. We mostly enjoy listening to similar genres and artists, but occasionally we expand each other’s horizons.
In a previous blog, “Fanfare for the (Un)common Man”, I mentioned my varied tastes in music and how music has always been a part of my life. With this being the case, it surprises me that I am unable to play any instrument. I marvel at those who can play while I can only play the stereo. Thankfully, I also have a large CD collection that has carried me through the years.
After our house caught on fire in 2010, we got rid of a lot of stuff, but not the CD collection. I just couldn’t part with it. Each CD is part of the soundtrack of my life. There are classical CDs that I would listen to when I needed to escape, focus, or meditate. Some of my best thinking happened while listening to Mozart. There are Celtic CDs from my first trip to the Emerald Isle when I adopted it as my culture of choice. These Celtic sounds and voices evoke such deep emotions that they resonate with my very soul. We have dozens of Christmas CDs ranging from Nat King Cole to Manheim Steamroller. There is nothing like a well-lit and decorated Christmas tree, a warm fire, and Christmas music to cure what ails you. I have countless Jazz/New Age CDs that can also transport me to a place of quiet reflection and relaxation. Little known fact… I had a morning jazz show on WNMC one summer between semesters at college.
I believe music helps transport us. It can carry us over the decades to a period of our youth. Music can remind us of times or people from our past. Music can evoke emotions simply by the words or sounds. Music can set a mood. Music is something people have in common.
As you know, life can be a bit of a challenge at times. Music is often the escape or the remedy for me. On my next blog I will explain my theory as to why this is the case, stay tuned. In the meantime, I would love to know what music means to you.
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