Skip to main content

Incorporate Music Into Your Life

  I woke up the other morning and the first thing on my mind was a song from the 70s.  I can't tell you how long it had been since I had heard it, so I have no idea how I woke to thinking about it.  But, you know what? It wasn't a bad way to wake.
  Music has always been a fairly big part of my life.  I've played in band and orchestra and sang in choirs. I can carry a tune, occasionally sing harmony, and play the flute, but I'm no great musician.   
I've taken ballet, sung karaoke with my daughters, and slow danced with my husband.  I've even taught music and movement classes to littles.  But hey, I understand that you may not know how to read music, play an instrument, or dance.  But there are still ways to enjoy music.  Of course you can always play the radio, but I challenge you to take it farther than that.  You can run to music. Clean to music. Do aerobics to music.  If you're really brave, there are places where you can go to square  or line dance, or maybe even ballroom dance. 
   If all of those things seem a bit too much for you, watch or go to a musical or concert.  There are ways you can enjoy music online.  I just "played" Moonlight Sonata using Touch Pianist.  There are keyboards, lessons, and more, free of charge. Maybe you can sing but would like to learn how to harmonize or learn how to read music. Again, all of this can be done online, free of charge.
   It may be time to join a choir.  First, a caution.  Some people think that they can carry a tune and they can't.  Churches (at least the ones I have been a part of) will accept people into the choir who can't sing a lick.  Please spare your church.  If you have a friend who is both musical and honest go to her and have her tell you if you are one of those people.
    There are just so many ways to begin enjoying music or taking it to a different level.  Music can be relaxing, invigorating, or anything in between.  It can be a vehicle for praising God.  You can even use it to help you grieve. And if you need one last reason to pursue this, know that learning how to play an instrument is good for the brain.

"Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness."   Maya Angelou
 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Volunteer

   Want to make life rich and productive?  Volunteer.  Sound too simple?  It's not. There are so many ways one can do so, too.  Volunteering comes in so many packages and can involve so many things.  I think, for example, of the time I volunteered my girls and I to reshelf books for our local library.  That was a minimum time, minimum investment (just the cost of gas) event.  I'm not sure you could actually call it volunteering for the girls,as they had no choice in the matter.  Yes, parents, it is not only ok, but good, to volunteer your kids from time to time.     Since, as a homeschool family, we spent a decent amount of time at the library, this wasn't exactly foreign to us. As I recall, there was nothing new to learn, which is ok, but it is nice if it becomes a learning activity, as well.      I also helped at a government run agency during tax season, one year.  For this, I needed to learn some basic...
Post a Comment
Read more

Use Alcohol

   Have your white boards seen their better days?  Perhaps, like me, you've tried various cleaning products and/or writing over hard to remove traces of marker with another marker. Well, today, I have a wonderful tip for you.  Use rubbing alcohol. It works!  You're welcome.
Post a Comment
Read more

Number Your Days

   7,305 days.  That's approximately how many days I have left, if I live to the age my parents did. Of course, that is a big if. No one is guaranteed tomorrow.    Writing my mother's obituary, it seemed peculiar that almost 80 years could be summed up so easily.  I'm sure mine will be no different. The Bible says our life is but a vapor,here today and gone tomorrow.     I am 60.  I remember 40 like it was yesterday.  So, I know how quickly it is going to fly by.  I work for my neighbor and she pays me by the month.  It seems like she is always writing me a check.  The older I get, the quicker it goes.    But, boil it down to days, like the Bible recommends, and it really seems short. What to do?  1) Recognize the brevity. 2)Number your days, based on national averages or the lifespan of your parents, if they have passed on. 3)Apply your heart to wisdom.  When I taught my oldest, kindergarten (h...
Post a Comment
Read more