The 21st is Father’s Day and I would like to dedicate this article
to all Father’s, who often quietly give so much of themselves for their
families and are regularly wanting to be better at enjoying the music
of life around them… Me included... A while ago I was talking with
someone about how music can affect us, and most all people, in many
ways. In fact, as I have written before, Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time” has been sung to motivate the souls of people to do their very best at the Olympics.
In this baseball season, when we are at a ball game and we sing the
National Anthem at the start of the game, it often sends emotions
running through my body. Or, have you ever been at a funeral and were
doing fine until TAPS is played? That’s what I’m talking about.
What is it about music that creates such a power over us? And we aren’t
unique; people all over the world have the same connection with music.
It can create a sense of pride, peace, strength, love, passion, power,
calm and patriotism. Probably, like you, throughout my life I have had
a few songs tucked away for when I have to deal with different life
issues.
When I was a young Marine in Boot camp and had long runs or hikes to
complete, I used a couple favorite church hymns to help me forget the
pain. While in the Sheriff’s Academy, our class chose the song “Eye of the Tiger”, from “Rocky II”, as our motivation song.
Whenever I feel a little out of place people have heard me sing an old comfortable standby, “I Wish I Was an Oscar Myers Weiner”.
I don’t know why that one comes into my mind, but it does help me deal
with the situation better instead of stressing over it.
I bet if you think about it, you have some songs that ease your soul at
given times of your life. It is amazing how such a simple thing can
have so much power. Think about it a little more…what is one of the
first things a young mother will do with a crying infant? She sings a
lullaby. Recently even a University Research group discovered that
certain music could stop dogs from barking. This helps confirm the old
saying, “That music sooths the savage beast.”
I have read that we may never really fully understand why good music is
able to provide us with feelings of comfort and peace. We do know that
those who worked hard and long as slaves used music to help them endure
the day and heavy labor. That music sung and listened to, soothed the
soul. It seemed to be the music that Thomas Carlyle was referring to when he wrote, “Music is well said to be the speech of angels.” And it has also been said that, “we speak with our lips, but to sing we must use our hearts.”
The other thing that music does is it helps us to tell a story. Music
is all about telling stories. It also is sometimes so filled with
emotion and power that, again, if I get you to think on a particular
song, it can bring you right to a specific time or place and person you
were with. School days, a love, an event, etc… Music has the power of
influencing lives of individuals and even destinies of nations.
However, not all music is so uplifting or positive in its lyrics. That
is why it is so important to choose good music to listen to. Through
every generation the parents of that generation became horrified with
the sounds of the Jitterbug, or Jazz, or Rockabilly, or Rock &
Roll, or Heavy Medal, or RAP or Grunge and on and on…It isn’t so much
the music, as it is the lyrics. There can be good found in all forms;
we just have to be picky.
In one of my past assignments, I led groups on weekend retreats to
reflect on life’s issues. We used music to hear the stories of the
writers to connect with the feelings that we may be having, and then
talk with others about what they were. Music and videos are used in
many therapies today.
It has been said that, “Whether we sing or listen with our
hearts, music spans barriers of language and time to knit human hearts
together in common experience and mutual devotion.”
Shelley, once wrote, “Music, when soft voices die, vibrates in the memory.”
An example I’ll share is, a few years ago I was diving home from work a
few weeks before Christmas. I was listening to the radio, when a song
sung by Kathy Mattea, “Mary Did You Know”
played. If you have ever heard that song, you’ll know what I mean when
I say; I almost had to pull the car over. I just started having tears, (burning nose syndrome for us macho guys)
run down my face. My chest was heaving from the powerful message of
that simple song. I wish this medium aloud you to hear it, but a few of
the words go like this…
“Mary, did you know that your baby boy, would someday walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy, would save our sons and daughters?
Mary did you know that your baby boy, is the Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy, would someday rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy was Heaven’s perfect Lamb?
This sleeping Child you’re holding is the great “I AM”.
Powerful messages can come from the gift of music. However there is
another thought to consider about music. Is all music singing or
instrumental? No, I think it is also more than that. If we would listen
for the music in ordinary sounds all around us, we would hear many
forms of sweet harmony. It might be the wind ruffling the leaves of
trees, or the laughing of a little child, or the sound of a foghorn
blowing repeatedly from a lighthouse.
Whatever it may be, if we would but take the time to listen and hear
life all around us, we will experience the verse from the movie The Sound of Music, “The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music.” They are alive, in our cities, work places and homes.
In closing, Shakespeare wrote, “The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils.”
Let us take in the musical sounds all around us each and every day.
That we may appreciate life more deeply, deep within our soul, with
greater joy and happiness, is my prayer for us all this week. Have a
great Father’s Day weekend.
As always, it is my hope that this message will help you this week to, “mount up as on eagle’s wings”, and renew a little of your strength to keep moving forward and find joy… (Isaiah 40:31)
Until next time, may God bless you and may God continue to bless our great nation… SEMPER FI
Chaplain Ringo, is the Command Chaplain at MCRD H&S BN,
holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Counseling, and is a Certified
Trauma Specialist.
Chaplain Ringo is a good friend and supporter of HealthWalk’s.
We are grateful that he is working with us on our integrated total
health approach to enhancing and restoring our veterans’ resilience for
re-engagement and for their transition from the high operational tempo
back to their families and civilian life.
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