Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. – Colossians 3:16
As a child growing up with two sisters, I look back and think about the music we listened to on a daily basis. My sisters and I grew up in England, and the big TV show that was on Thursday nights at 7:00pm was Top of The Pops. We would wait eagerly every week to find out what song and what singer or band would be number 1.
My parents were not much for watching Top of The Pops, and I don’t remember my mother listening to much music. However, my father was always listening to records, and making sure that we were always exposed to a variety of different music genres. I can remember going to the symphony with him, and also listening to Burt Bacharach’s music at home and dancing around the house. Those were happy times and ones that I will cherish forever.
As time moved on and we grew up, we developed our own music styles, but I remember a time a few years ago when my father was in the late stages of Alzheimer’s my sister and I went to visit him in Northern California. He didn’t remember very much about what he had done the past week, month, or even year, but he could tell you what year his mother and father were born, and about his childhood. He also knew us and still referred to us by name.
On one particular afternoon, it was raining and there was not much to do. I got out my computer, and started playing old show tunes, and Burt Bacharach songs for my dad to listen to, and to our amazement he started singing along to most all the tunes that he had played to us when we were small children. It was definitely a very bittersweet day, and one I will not forget in my lifetime.
As we have been travelling with my mother over the past few years, we have spent a lot of time on cruise ships, which is a blessing all in itself. In the evenings we will go to the lounges and hear the bands and musicians sing and play music. I have noticed that my mother, who I thought was never interested in music, can sing along with the musicians, and remembers all the music she would listen to as a young adult. It is heartwarming to see how she lights up when there is a song on that she knows.
Music can light up anyone’s heart, it can rekindle memories, or create new ones in all people. Songs can make you happy, or they can make you sad, but music is a big part of most people’s lives. There are also many different kinds of music, can you think of a song that sparks a wonderful memory in your life? I know that everyone can, and I bet it puts a smile on your face!
Gabrielle Moon, Executive Director, St. Luke’s Children’s Centers
