Living Beauty Full in the Burbs
Living Beauty Full in the Burbs
With apologies to Leo Sayre, “I’ve got the music in me” and have had since my earliest memories. I was raised by my Grandparents, who were…
With apologies to Leo Sayre, “I’ve got the music in me” and have had since my earliest memories. I was raised by my Grandparents, who were music lovers. Our home was always filled with music. The radio played during the day and long into the evening when I was very young, and with the long awaited purchase of a television, we watched every musical variety show offered. I grew up watching and listening to the likes of Lawrence Welk, the Perry Como Show, the Glenn Campbell show and of course, who can forget Hee Haw or Ed Sullivan???
My Grandmother loved Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard. My Mom had a beautiful singing voice and frequently sang Patsy Cline and show tunes songs while in the kitchen. She turned down a singing contract with WLS in Chicago when she met my Dad, but she never stopped singing until the day she died. My Grandparents were part of a group who performed in southern Indiana in the 1930’s, my sister sang in a rock band in the 70’s and my brother still performs at weddings and social events and provides the best Karaoke program in his little town. I guess the musical appreciation gene runs in the family.
We watched all the musicals and my Grandmother bought the soundtracks so we could sing all the songs. My Christmas present when I was in the 6th grade was my very own transistor radio! Oh what joy! I spent countless hours listening to WLS radio, singing along with Brenda Lee, Elvis and Bobby Vinton. I developed a love of music in general because of my early exposure to it. I can’t imagine a life without music. Many years (MANY years) later Mr. B said he was impressed by the diversity of music on my mp3 player, everything from Adele to ZZ Top and including all genres. I don’t find it impressive at all. To me it’s natural. I find music soothing, uplifting or energizing, whatever I need at the moment, there is music to match my mood. I do housework to music, walk and ride my bike to music, drift off to sleep to the sounds of nature blended with soft musical scores, and sit and read while music plays softly in the background. Part of creating a sanctuary is to include your sense of hearing.
Make a soundtrack for your life……doing laundry, dusting, washing the car, driving…..all those mundane activities that make up our daily lives. Create an atmosphere that makes you happy, after all we spend a great part of our lives driving and doing chores, might as well feel happy while doing them right?? Dance, move to the beat, dance in your seat. “Chair dancing” and bobbing your head may look stupid to a passing motorist, but it’s infectious, and I guarantee as soon as that car passes you, that driver will turn up the music and do some head bobbing of her own. Spread the joy.
Get the music in you.
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