Letting the Music Move Us
Living gratefully today, I sit and take in the early morning activity from our front patio: a young squirrel learning the ropes, a bird finding food, a runner going by, our dog Oliver watching intently at the door, bugs checking out the vicinity. I love this time of the year, this near-summer. Lots of daylight and lots of life teeming.
The music and rhythm of Nature. The music and rhythm of humans shows itself all over the place too. Laughter. Voices that each sound a little different. Someone walking toward you from a distance and you recognize that particular gait. A person’s gifts being shared—their baking, writing, singing, listening, handiwork, levity. We each add to this human symphony. Our part uniquely ours and adding to the beauty of the entire composition. I believe that about you and about me, and because I believe that, I value you and I value myself.
Listen for one another’s music. Let each person contribute their notes to the harmony. Wouldn’t that make possible the crossing of divides and chasms? Wouldn’t that bring us to common ground and shared goals? A girl can dream can’t she?
And a girl can sing. Sing along to songs that have brought me smiles, joy, memories over the decades. That’s a very long list of songs, so I won’t even mention any here. For the last two Thursday evenings, last week solo and this week with my husband Darcy, we have enjoyed summer concerts at the Rotary Pavilion along the Mississippi River in our lovely community. Thank you to all who are making these concerts possible and a special thanks to the talented musicians.
There’s been a good turnout, so it’s safe to say hundreds of us have enjoyed songs that take us back in time and also bring us pleasure in the present. People are humming, tapping, singing along. Some get up and dance. As I sat and enjoyed the music, the musicians, their banter, and the other people, the dancers especially brought smiles. Certain songs moved a few to move. Those few moved others to get up and join them. They were young and old. With and without smooth moves. The music lifted them and the dancing lifted me.
We let the music move us and I bore witness to the best in humanity. Music is a common ground, a key component of every culture across the globe. I close with, and smile at, the thought of a lively concert in the halls of Congress. Would divides be crossed? Would there be dancing?
