A Song In My Heart....

Actually, a bunch of songs on my iPod.

After literally years of having only lectures on my iPod, I finally have gotten to the point where I have actually downloaded music from iTunes and have something to listen to that doesn't involve taking notes.  I never realized how much I have missed listening to music until now.

Growing up there was always music in the house.  Mom was a singer, my siblings and I took piano lessons for years, so most of the time, someone was practicing something.  In those rare times when it wasn't one of us creating the music, then there was a radio on which usually prompted the "WHAT are you listening to?!!"

comment followed by the "Turn that thing down!"  While we all appreciated music, we didn't all appreciate the same type of music.

Once I started driving, the tunes became mobile, the car stereo always belting out tunes as I traveled.  I quickly learned there are places where finding a radio station that I wanted to listen to wasn't easy, so the backup became packing some favorite CDs for the trip.  The miles slipped away as the tunes played on, adding a lighthearted joy to traveling. No matter where I was, I always had tunes with me; on the road, on the beach, wandering through towns and cities, music was my constant and welcome companion.

Then one day, the music stopped.

To be honest, I don't know why or even exactly when, just that it was gone.

I would put instrumental meditation-type music on was when I was working with clients simply to help them relax.  It was soft and very low and in a very short time I simply tuned it out.  I still had the radio on when I drove, but really didn't notice it or even really hear it; it seemed like I just didn't connect with it any more.

Perhaps it was because my iPod was filled with lectures which related to courses I was taking as well as some other material I was studying as well.  Listening to it became my lecture hall, literally hours upon hours of instruction.  After listening to so much, perhaps I just wanted some peace and quiet.  Whatever the reason, music had pretty much disappeared from my life.  My 11 year old niece picked up my iPod to listen to it and declared, "Auntie, you have the most boring iPod on the planet."  and I had to agree.  The lectures were interesting, but they were by no means fun.

So a few weeks ago, I decided that since I finished my courses long ago, it was time to remove the lectures and put something fun on my iPod.  It took a while because at first I didn't even know what to put on it.  It had been so long, literally a couple of years since I had really listened to anything that I didn't even know what to download, I didn't know what I wanted to hear and trust me, it's a challenge to find songs when you don't know titles or artists and just have a vague thought of what the song 'might' sound like.

Eventually I picked a little of everything - 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, plus some current stuff.  It makes a weird mix of music and yet, somehow, it lifts my spirits and makes me smile.  The music is back and there's a bounce in my step and once again there's a song in my heart and tunes in the air.