Music & Memories

Every morning for the past week our kiddos have been blaring Steven Tyler’s song, “I make my own sunshine.” They sing as loud as they possibly can, dance, and hit repeat until I send them off after breakfast to brush teeth and make their beds.  Today while “their song” was playing I found myself flooded with memories from 20 years ago.

Steven Tyler/Aerosmith’s song, Angel, is the song my husband played all the time when we were together from back in junior high. From rainy date nights from when we were in high school, short day trips in college, and wedding anniversary date nights and trips; that song seems to have woven itself into our lives and magically holds memories, when played, that could otherwise not be unlocked.  

Music is powerful.

It’s introduced to us through lullabies when we are infants (unless you sing when you’re pregnant, then even earlier!) and somehow has a way of ear marking times in our lives. Those songs that we hear now, from yesteryear, not only trigger memories from the past but have the power to evoke emotions across a wide spectrum.  Music has a way of making you want to go back and dance through those happy times, smile because a song reminds you of someone, laugh at maybe that just horrible breakup from when you were a kid, and cry tears of joy or absolute sadness.

Music reminds us that we are human, that we’re not alone in the array of emotions and events we experience in life.  The songs we listen to can help us with healing, inspire us, can provide us with an instant change in mood if we just need a pick-me-up.  Music somehow builds an invisible community through the airwaves that connects us and contributes every day to defining chapters in our lives that will one day be unlocked as memories.

It’s my hope that when my children listen to “I make my own sunshine” they are  internalizing those lyrics. I want them to keep in mind from now until forever that every day is a “fresh new start” and that they have control over their happiness each day.  Their happiness is one in which they deserve (that we ALL deserve) and no one can take.

I’m thankful for music. 

I am thankful for how it creates a soundtrack to our lives, how it preserves memories from the past, how it pushes us along the hard times and how it connects us to the people in our lives. 15 years from now when my children are grown, and they hear Steven Tyler’s “I make my own sunshine,” I hope they will be filled with happy memories of their childhood… of a time in their lives when we were altogether in our home in the country, making breakfast on a hot sunny morning, singing and dancing together.  I hope they will find themselves reminiscing about the past and discover the importance of music and share it with their children one day too.

Xo

Danielle