The Magic of Music
It’s my Jolie’s birthday today, and there’s nothing more magical for me than listening to her voice. My mind floods with memories:
Listening to favorite divas on loud when she was in the womb.
Swaying around the living room with her baby self— praying that she would one day share this passion with me.
My heart leaping as she sang me her adorable two-year-old rendition of “You Are My Sunshine.”
Watching her belt out show tunes as a preschooler on our back patio—for all the neighborhood to enjoy!
Of course, there have been so many tear-jerking performances over the years—it’s hard to articulate what those precious moments have meant to me. I think we all love how music can instantly bring us back to a particular moment—offering us a little taste of whatever it is we were experiencing in that time and place.
I vividly recall an excruciatingly long family road trip out West, when I was six years old. Rhinestone Cowboy and Una Paloma Blanca were at the top of the charts. Every time those songs came on the radio, all four of us would join in at the top of our lungs. Over and over, we were able to trade in our cranky and road-weary selves for a few minutes of exuberant harmony.
Then there have been the “spirit music” memories, too many to even document here. Songs like Andre Crouch’s “Through It All,” and “My Tribute” —that my parents played in the days of Dad’s second battle with cancer. Since that time, there have been so many songs of hope, gratitude, and healing in every chapter of my life that are now inextricably linked with each hardship: when both parents were fighting for their lives, when I battled so much anxiety, panic, sadness and heartbreak. Those songs were miraculous in their healing power- because they helped me see my victory and understand that loneliness was an illusion. My faith was restored, and I was reminded that all things are working for good.
As a romantic, there have been quite a few snapshots that come rushing back when I hear certain love songs. I remember “Open Arms” by Journey, “Here I Am,” by Air Supply, “I’ve Been Waiting” by Foreigner—in my adolescence when all I had were dreams about finding love. But then came breakup songs like “I Will Survive,” and “My Heart Belongs to Me” —when I discovered just how much pain could accompany that love. For the last 25 years, happy love songs have become my favorites. “I Will Be Here” by Steven Curtis Chapman and “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole will always top my list—played at our wedding and they still resonate with the spirit of our marriage.
In the many unconscious seasons and chapters in my story, I sadly have turned away from this gift. There have been many days and weeks where I haven’t intentionally listened to even one song. But over the past year, with attention to the blessings in each moment, and a growing awareness of the power of my senses—I’m often turning on music and choosing songs that resonate with the right here, right now. My oh my, there have been some serious moments of connection that come along with that—music that beams like lasers to my core, and mirrors reality like nothing else can. Life makes more sense, things feel more real, I instantly connect with my humanity—and with the Divine. As is often the case, the impact has been profound enough to alter not only my mood and outlook, but my experience. And that… is pure magic.
Share your music magic with me!