What Is It About Music?

Today I can't escape this disquiet in my soul. Silence echoes off the emptiness and sends shimmering waves through my mind like a water mirage on a hot highway. This restlessness unnerves me. I want to pace but I don't know why.

I pray, but the peace it brings is more from duty than from relief or an answer.

Do you know what? That's OK. Sometimes I just have to leave it with the Lord. Especially when I don't know exactly what I'm praying for. I live in a fallen world and sometimes I'm incapable of understanding all the mechanics of the spiritual around me--the disquiet has a purpose. It urges me to pray, to be alert, and also to--this may sound out of place--to listen to some music.

What is it about music?

Do you know that humans are the only creatures who create music? Birds sing, angels sing, stars sing, even whales sing. But only humans create new combinations of notes, melodies, and tones. Only humans translate what the heart feels--joy, sorrow, yearning, giddiness--a spectrum of emotion--into something the ear can hear. Music expresses to the outside world what's going on in the heart.

Just some of my random thoughts about music. I never thought about it much until singing became so emotionally overwhelming after my husband died. I'd stand in church with everyone else. Difference was that they could sing. I choked and couldn't get a note out. Tears streamed down my face and I felt raw and torn and shaken. Did you find that, too?

But today is Tuesday, and on Tuesdays I try to feature a Single-Living Skill. So here it is: free music on Pandora! You don't have to sing along, because I know that's sometimes impossible. Yet, there is this sort of soothing and healing that seems to come from music.

So here's the assignment: just go to http://www.pandora.com/ and register by entering your email and a password. Sure, you can buy songs to download, but you can also listen to their variety without paying a cent. And you can make your music selection by artist, song or composer--Christian music, too!--of all sorts: gospel choruses, traditional hymns, Christian rock, on and on. Or go for a favorite artist. I have my own "Rich Mullins station." Cool, huh? They'll give you some of your favorite artist's songs plus similar musicians.

Also try the genre radio stations. I like "Spa Radio" every once in a while. Just put some cucumber slices on your eyes, lie down with your feet up, and you're halfway there . . .Spa . . . ahh . . .

For now, though, this disquiet in my soul, this restlessness . . . sometimes it's a thirst for music. The existence of music, and my ability to relate to it expresses that I am part of a larger community, I'm a piece of the puzzle we call life. Some days I need that reminder. I'm not alone.

How about you? Help out other widows by sending in your favorite single-living tips to: wcplace@gmail.com or use the comment line below. It's always good to hear from you, ♥ ferree