Is it the music that makes a story, or the story that makes the music? I guess it can be both!
I'm someone who likes to write, and although I'm not musically gifted I can hear music in each story or poem I've written. In my book, I Called Her Nan, soft piano music helped guide my thoughts during times when I could not find the words. The poem titled, I Called Her Nan, was written over twenty-two years ago and has many cords! I actually used that poem to start the book, so the reader could get a feel of how I saw my mother-in-law and how others saw her too. Each story in the book carries its own melody. Some carry excitement or anticipation that could make you laugh while others can bring a tear to your eye. That's how you know it's a good song, a good story...you feel it.
My daughters-in-law are in the process of creating their own stories in this season of their lives. These stories will be retold often in the years to come, and be looked back on as possibly a resource to share with others to learn from. Slowly they are experiencing a walk down the well-worn path, of being a wife, and a busy mom trying to raise healthy children, despite the changes in the world. If a woman could use music as a description of her days, it would probably be the theme song from Rocky or some other highly motivating song. Possibly written by someone with dirt on their own shoes from having been down a similar yet individual path.
Music, like a story, can be used to help us see things from a different perspective. It offers relaxation during quiet moments, like soaking in a tub, sipping on a cup of tea, or swaying on a porch swing as you listen to the birds. It can change our mood, provide comfort or make us feel like dancing!
For me, watching my older boys in the high school choir and my youngest son play his guitar in the praise band, brings back countless sweet memories. Holding my grandchildren and singing brings comfort to me and to them. It can dry their tears or help them go pee pee on the potty. They brush their teeth and are reminded of their manners to silly little made-up tunes. The same tunes that I sang to their parents. I've realized that children don't notice when the music is off-key, or criticize when they don't understand the words being sung at the time, they just love unconditionally and sing along. It's all part of my story...my memories. They are just as important to me now as if they happened yesterday. Words matter... they create each one of our stories, they create the music in our hearts.
~Cathy
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