So I'm bending the rules a little bit here.... my picture today is not actually a person. This is because there are quite a few people who have gotten me through a lot, so, rather than pick and choose--and probably end up forgetting someone--I decided to choose a non-people thing :)
This is the iPod Touch.
I'm not going to be one of those people who worships gadgets and say that my iPod Touch has gotten me through so many things, because, well, that's just not me. I mean that picture to be more of a representation of music in general, because, honestly, music is probably the biggest (non-human) thing that has gotten me through the most. When I'm happy, angry, sad, frustrated, worried, upset, excited, nervous, etc etc, music has always been the thing that has, well, been there. There has never been a single time when music has let me down. Sure, sometimes it's taken some searching through the iPod or some violent shuffling of the iTunes, or some threatening of the Little Pandora Man, but, sooner or later, I've always found a song that matches my mood perfectly. Some of my greatest memories, in fact, are forever tied with a certain song. (random fact: "My Girl" by the Temptations will always remind me of summers spent on the river with my family and, strangely enough, the Kontos family)
I guess I'm revealing my true nerd to you by posting about this and it will definitely come off even nerdier since I probably won't be able to accurately describe the way I feel, but here goes.
The hardest thing about trying to describe the way music affects a person is that, unless you've felt it for yourself, you can't really understand-- not completely, anyway. And, oh, how I ache for those who have never had that experience. How can you accurately put into words the feeling you get when a song resonates within you? The goosebumps are easy enough to describe, I suppose, and the tear-filled eyes, but how can you explain what you feel?
I had it once explained to me by a very good friend of mine--who is now on her mission in Arizona, actually--like this: when you have a "musical moment" (for lack of better words) you feel a sort of stirring in your heart, just like when you feel the Spirit. (and that's because, if music is good enough to resonate with you this much, it is obviously praiseworthy and full of the Spirit :) ) It's kind of like a vibration--like the way a cello string vibrates when you pull the bow across it. And the reason it resonates so deeply with you is because music is something from out of this world...Something that has been given to us so we can rise above the filth and struggle of daily life. (excuse me if I wax poetic or ridiculous). I think one of the coolest things about music is that a million people can listen to the same piece, but they can all feel completely different things. Also, you don't even have to understand the language to understand the music. Some of the most beautiful, touching songs are not in English, but I love them anyway. Let's take it a step further- music doesn't even have to have words. There's a reason I am an instrumentalist. Instrumental music is...amazing. Music is amazing, you guys! :) I can't express how truly grateful I am for music, and am so glad that I will be able to have it with me for the rest of forever!
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