Face the Music

Typically uttered when having to confront unpleasant consequences. I'd like to spin this completely around and encourage everyone to face the music in a most delightful way.

My kids will tell you I have a song for, well, everything. If they say sunshine, I'm letting it in or it's on my shoulders. Talking about something great, then we are the champions begins. A glance to the moon? Blue Moon, Moon River, etc... This could go on for a very long time and as their eyes roll in disbelief and "my mom is crazy" attitude, I continue to sing for as long as I can remember the words :)

Music carries us. Music lifts our spirit and our vibration. If you are feeling sad and turn on your favorite song, it helps, right?

Nature IS music. Rivers, oceans, leaves, rain, wind, muddy steps, chirping birds, croaking frogs. There is so much movement and rhythm surrounding us in nature. A beautiful symphony of life, energy and expression. The trail is always singing.

I was blessed to grow up in a house filled with music. We had a drum set and a piano in the dining room (who needs a table and chairs...they can't dance!) As I was exposed to my parent's preference for musical style, I also developed my own tastes and likes. On repeat, I would play my favorite albums (I am that old) for hours on end. I knew every note, loved every nuance and lyric and I'm not the only teenager that survived this tumultuous period of life by leaning on the influence of song. It's that powerful. Lyrics shaped my personality, made sense of a crazy world and provided the confidence I needed to love and believe in myself. It shifted my mood so I could forget about sorrows and troubles, even if for a little while. Sometimes, that's all we need....a little break and a little ditty.

Music was our language before there was spoken word. Songs, drums and dance told stories and connected us to our family, tribe and surroundings. It kept secrets and shared knowledge and history. Music heals and soothes our soul and strikes a deep chord within our very being. So little is needed to access this wonder. Clap your hands, tap your feet, sway back and forth, whistle, sing. You have all the instruments needed.

There is always music on the trail and often I add to the concert. My breath, heartbeat, my pace of walking and occasionally tunes. I am frequently filled with love while I'm out there and start singing "All you need is love...all you need is love, love. Love is all you need." How can this not bring a smile to your face and fill up your heart?

As I relied on music to help shape my younger years, I am hoping you remember to bring this gift forward to help you now. Music reigns supreme and points us in the right direction...facing the music. It's a world of joy, a dance of elation and a comfort of promise when life goes sideways.

Did a song or artist carry and shelter you through sad times? Was music there to celebrate a magical moment? Music evokes emotion and feeling and hearing a song will transport you back to that event, that special time. A straight path to our primal capacity to move forward with hope.

Make a "high" playlist. All those songs and tunes that help you "hold your head high". If I need a quick adjustment in attitude, I simply access this list and enjoy the transformation. Maybe you can even sing along or at least tap your foot. You may not be able to carry a tune, but it will surely carry you.

I'm pretty sure the trees don't mind when I sing to them, but if they do, at least I gave them a good laugh!

"What a Wonderful World..."