Wednesday’s Quote of the Week: The Power of Music

I am a woman with absolutely no musical talents whatsoever. I cannot play an instrument, I absolutely cannot sing, and if you told me I had to dance for my supper, I would probably starve. However, that doesn’t take away the power and impact that music has had on my life. I love music. And while I cannot have a meaningful discussion about any of the technicalities of music and I know very little about music theory or history, I can still feel its power. And when its power moves me, makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, sends shivers down my spine, and brings tears to my eyes, well then it matters not in those moments if I know the difference between sharp and flat, notes and chords and clefs, tenor and baritone. What matters is that my spirit has been moved and I feel so very connected to the universe when that happens. That is the power of music. And it really is a moral law, like Plato said. And we all know Plato knew what he was talking about when it came to matters of the universe.

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”

Plato

No one truly knows how long music has existed. But I would venture to guess that human beings have been creating some sort of musical form since the beginning of time. It comes naturally. You see it all over the animal kingdom. Birds and whales and even bats sing to attract mates. Heck, humans use music all the time in our strange mating rituals. And we do have some strange mating rituals, don’t we?

We all can connect on some level when music is involved. Even the very youngest of human beings can feel music. Have you ever seen a baby remain still when the music starts? Probably not. Because they can’t. When music fills the air, babies start to move with it, so entirely connected to the vibrations that they are quite literally unable to sit still. Even unborn babies do this. I will never forget the sensation of Archie dancing in circles when I was about 34 weeks pregnant with him. We were driving and as soon as my husband turned on the Grateful Dead, it was a like a dance party began right inside my body. Coolest thing ever. That child still loves The Grateful Dead.

Music truly is a universal language. As it drifts weightlessly though the air and lands gently upon your ears, whispering all the things that you needed to hear in that moment, that is when you can really feel its power. I know music has gotten me through some of the toughest times of my life and it has been there with me to celebrate some of the most amazing moments as well. It is there to comfort when you need comforting, to soothe you when you need to relax, to ignite you when you need a little sand in your craw. It heals, it inspires, it motivates, it uplifts, and it quite literally connects you to the universe.

Music is literally all around us. We play it in our cars, in the shower, at our places of employment. We sing lullabies to our babies, we worship in song, we incorporate it into every momentous occasion of our lives…weddings, graduations, funerals. A party isn’t really a party without music playing. We exercise with it. We do household chores with it. We go to sleep with it. I write with it. We share our favorite songs with our friends. We use it to speak for us when we are unable to find our own words. It is inherent in us to crave the sound of music because it is contains a power that is beyond words. A ethereal power that touches our souls where more earthly things can never reach.

Music tells stories. It connects us. It relates to us and helps us relate to others. It forms communities. It entertains. It makes us feel when we are numb and it has the ability to numb when we are in pain. Even in its sadness, it brings us joy. And in its happiness, it can move mountains.

I have not been given the gift of musical talent, but I have been blessed with the ability to use my words to bring life to such things that may sometimes escape description. And my muse is directing me to share these thoughts on the power of music. I am so grateful for those who have been blessed with the skill and the aptitude to create the most powerful art form known to man. Music is a force that can inject happiness anywhere it travels. It can also join you in your sadness when your grief may need a companion. It is a force that can reach anyone, no matter where they stand on their journey in life. Preferences may change over time, songs may gain new meaning with different experiences, but music will always carry an impact that is quite beyond description.

“Music is love, love is music, music is life, and I love my life.”

-A.J. McLean

“Music is the greatest communication in the world. Even if people don’t understand the language that you’re singing in, they still know good music when they hear it.”

-Lou Rawls

“Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.”

-E.Y. Harburg

“Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.”

-Bob Marley

“Music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue.”

-Plato

“Where words fail, music speaks.”

-Hans Christian Andersen

“The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers.”

-Roy Ayers

“Music, at its essence, is what gives us memories. And the longer a song has existed in our lives, the more memories we have of it.”

-Stevie Wonder

“Music has healing power. It has the ability to take people out of themselves for a few hours.”

-Elton John

“Music is one of the most powerful things the world has to offer. No matter what race or religion or nationality or sexual orientation or gender that you are, it has the power to unite us.”

-Lady Gaga

“Singing is my passion, my first love and the secret of my energy. Music to me is like finding my inner self, my soul. It gives me a great joy to see audiences enjoying with me. I have given my heart to singing. When I sing, I can feel romance in everything around me.”

-Kailash Kher

“Music is life itself. What would this world be without good music? No matter what kind it is.”

-Louis Armstrong

What role does music play in your life? I would love to hear any thoughts you want to share about music…you favorite songs, your favorite artists, special moments when music has soothed you or inspired you or healed you.

By the way, have you entered my giveaway yet? You can win $100 off a brand new Jord watch of your own or for a gift for someone else. You can read all about it here or go directly to the giveaway entry form here. There are not very many entries in yet, so you stand a great chance of winning if you enter now! It only takes a minute and an email address!

Keeping it on the edge,

Shelbee

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