I awoke this morning to bright sunlight and a clear blue sky. After I had stepped out of the shower, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s Orange Blossom Special was playing on the radio. It was a beautiful way to begin a new day and, since it is Monday, the start of a new week. Although I find the lyrics of bluegrass music somewhat corny with its religious overtones, I love it because it is happy music. One cannot help but feel uplifted when listening to the snappy tunes of mandolin, fiddle, guitar, and banjo. The roots of bluegrass, as well as other music genres, began in remote places, where poverty was common. These people used music to lift their spirits and to overcome much adversity.
Those who are musically inclined make the world a better place for the rest of us. I have never had such an inclination, although I have often wished that I could play piano. I “flunked” music when I was in the first grade because all the talk about treble clefs and lines and spaces and notes had me completely baffled. I suspect it had more to do with the teacher and the method of teaching that prevented me from being able to grasp what it was all about, rather than my inability to learn. Since I cannot play an instrument or carry a tune, even in the shower, I am immensely grateful for the music makers of the world, who create music that I can enjoy. I am grateful to the recording studios and to the radio stations that provide the music, as well.
I have never heard a single person say that they dislike music. They may prefer certain kinds of music over others, but music has been an integral part of human life for centuries. I love the quiet. In fact, I crave quiet, which is very difficult to find in our modern world. I love listening to the birds. How fortunate they are to have not only the gift of flight, but the gift of song, too. Occasionally, I like to intersperse the quiet with music. Since I only listen to music for a few hours a day, I find that I am even more appreciative of it. I am keenly aware of how much we need and depend on one another for everything – especially for the music that we have the privilege of listening to.
