It is said that our sense of smell is the strongest tie to emotions. It is true when I spritz on a certain bottle of perfume I recall the college years, Sunday mornings driving to the tiniest town in Oklahoma to attend a down-home solid service in a tiny white church. Another bottle takes me to my first year of marriage, in our tiny bathroom, sprucing up before my husband comes home from work.
But music does the same thing for me. I can put in a CD (yes, I still live in the stone ages with my CD's!) and be instantly transported. Yesterday I played my first Kutless CD - not my typical song style of choice these days, although still well-appreciated. In a moment I remembered the week I first listened to the CD - summer break, at home alone for an entire week! Blaring the music from my parents' DVD player - dancing in the living room, working on a photo project. I recalled a semester in Russia, a dear Russian friend who would listen to any American rock, no matter the subject, wondering if he ever took to heart what the words meant. Did the music I let him borrow plant a seed? Will I ever know? Images came to mind of driving to that same tiny church conjured in my perfumed memories, singing along with another dear friend by my side, joining in the concert.
Amazing.
It was almost to the point of danger in my driving - I felt as though I was barely present in mind as I drove along gliding from one memory to the next. Who needs photo albums when music can carry all of my memories on one disc?
We are totally music people! We have so many CDs...hope they won't go obsolete anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteI really relate to your observations. Last month I found a cassette tape from my college years and popped it in the tape deck. You're right--music links us to the experiences and joys of the past. It's wonderful (sometimes) to rediscover them. In my case, it had been too long since I'd sung some of those worship songs, and I couldn't hold back the tears.
ReplyDeleteMusic does that for me too. I put on an 80s station when I clean, and there are times when I stop dead in my tracks when a song comes on and a vivid memory comes back. I love it.
ReplyDeleteMan, there is NOTHING like putting in an old CD from days gone by and reliving the memories. Last Christmas my hubby gave me a CD of 80's love songs. It is so fun to listen to. Brings back all the school dances, all the heartache, all the fun!
ReplyDeleteMy 12 year old is participating at a rock school where he takes guitar and they are learing "Beat It" by Michael Jackson and "Shake it Up" by the Cars...I love that we will share memories of those songs!
Yep. There's nothing like a memory interwoven into the notes of a good tune. :)
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
-Melissa
You KNOW I'm a music lover...all kinds. And it's great how it transports you back in time.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Aiming4Simple's tape was a "mix tape!" Ha, we had the idea long before itunes playlists :)