There were a couple of times over the Thanksgiving break that I was reminded of the power that music has over our emotions. They made me reflect upon different occasions in my life that I have been "moved," so to speak. I've been to jazz concerts where I couldn't stop smiling and I wanted to go home and listen to more. I've been to symphony halls where I couldn't feel myself because I was so lost in what was going on. After seeing uplifting movies on the big screen, I always walk out with my head held higher and feeling ten times taller as the mighty movie score is playing. Singing hymns has usually had the power to cheer me up whenever I'm sad. And then, there's the music that can move you to tears...
That's what happened this week. I took a friend to a favorite pretty spot of mine where I had been sad once upon a time. For some reason, there was some really pretty piano music playing in the car as I began to tell the story. I couldn't finish it before we both began to shed tears.
I've discovered that I have to be careful with music like that. There are songs that if played when I'm in a blue mood will invoke crying no matter what. That song normally wouldn't have made me cry, but given proper circumstance (like a painful memory) it did. I've been on the verge of tears all day today. As a result, I didn't listen to any music by choice. On days like today, I can't listen to Regina Spektor, or Sissel, or Phil Collins (ha!), or Tchaikovsky (however you spell that), or Josh Rouse, or Mason Jennings, or the Chipmunks (just kidding...wait, maybe not..) or...wow, the list is quite long.
So...what are your thoughts? What music do you like to listen to when you're happy? When you're sad? What's your song of the day? What did you have for breakfast this morning?
