Recently, as a reward for enduring another PT session for my ever-plaguing hip bursitis (topic for another blog post?), I treated myself to a Starbucks’ coffee at Target. Normally, I would prefer to sit in a Starbucks shop and relax, but I needed to pick up a few items from Target so chose to indulge in the java there. Actually, it wasn’t an unpleasant atmosphere – I sat by a window and watched the rain outside, and the only other patron sitting at the tables was a young mother and a very cute baby who charmed me with her smiles. The best part was the background music playing was music from the 1940s.
Though I was merely a baby at the end of that decade, I have always been drawn to the music of the 40s. Listening to it always conjures up images of an era gone by. I can imagine all sorts of scenarios to go with it…like, I can imagine soldiers of WWII and their sweethearts dancing the lindy to the big band sounds. (That is, when they were on leave and not fighting the ugly war.) Since it is in my imagination only, I can make the scene as fanciful as I want.
I think music is wonderful in the ways it can relax us, excite us, motivate us, inspire us, or cheer us. It can also bring joy and laughter or even tears. Listening to music can be an escape – from sadness, stress, undesirable tasks or boredom; or, it can provide a diversion as we go about our household chores or exercise. And, what about providing the impetus to get up and dance – with or without a partner?!
Mostly, I only listen to music when I am driving in my car. Thanks to SiriusXM radio, I have a wide variety of genres from which to choose. With the exception of hard rock and opera, I love all of it, and choose whatever appeals to me at the moment. Though I also often select public radio and the news to catch up on current events (more frustrating than anything, these days), I have set my favorite music stations so they are available quickly with the press of a button. Like my husband, who flips back and forth between several channels while watching TV, I tend to flip back and forth between radio stations in the car. My rule with oldies songs, for instance, is if I have never heard the song before, don’t remember it, or don’t like it, I don’t listen to it and quickly change the channel.
I know in the past, I have written about how much I love silence; and, I still think it has its merits and benefits. But, today, I am writing to remind myself how much I enjoy listening to music which of course, is noise – in some cases, big noise. I don’t listen to some of the oldies or my favorite country tunes without cranking up the volume…likely why I now need hearing aids! Even my introverted soul can be energized by listening to music, and I am vowing to take time more often to listen to it other than just when I am in my car.
If you are already a music lover and indulge in listening frequently, you are probably saying, “well, duh!” as you read this. If not, maybe you will be inspired to take time to treat yourself to your favorite tunes more frequently.
Music sets my heart free. I hope it does for you also.
