There's something about music

Hello all! Here's to hoping that you're enjoying the fall weather in your neck of the woods--we've been blessed with some rain, clouds and cooler temps this week!

Anywho, after last week's column, I found a sweet relief in listening to music to ease the anxiety. But once I began to write this week's column, I came to discover that I had written one very similar but it was never published (because this happened). So after some revisions, here is this week's written work. Take a look and if you like it, as always, pass it along to someone else who might like it too!

Original publication date: Friday, October 9, 2015
Random Writer
There's something about music 

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved music. Some of my earliest memories in life are of me sitting in front of the TV as I watched CMT and listened to country music as the little ball on the screen bounced from word to word.

My love for music led to my love of singing, which started in church as an elementary-age student singing “Amazing Grace” (I know, it’s that typical story told by the professionals time and again, but it’s true). Some time after that, I made my local talent show debut in Star Search when I sang “Crazy” by Patsy Cline. It humors me when people in town recognize me in that young role rather than me as an adult writing for the newspaper.

I kept singing all the way through school, auditioning for the honor choirs  in school and singing specials at church (and I still sing at church all these years later). Somewhere during my middle school years I picked up songwriting (which is harder than it looks) and those couple of years of piano lessons in Bible college helped to expand my limited expertise as an amateur singer-songwriter.

And as I’ve grown up, my love for all genres has expanded. While I’m conservative in my religious and social beliefs, I’m actually somewhat liberal in my musical preferences. Lyrics are an entirely different facet that I won’t dive into today, but my love for music itself surpasses all genres. Case in point: one of my favorite playlists on Spotify is by the Christian rapper Lecrae.

And in the span of five days, I went from having a good ol’ time during a Southern Gospel concert at church on a Wednesday night, soaking in the sounds at the Broadway Lights concert on Saturday night, and head-bopping to the beat of bluegrass Sunday night at church...and I loved it all! But many times, just when I’m about to boast in my musical open-mindedness, I usually find that many more people out there have a wider musical spectrum than me.

For me, when things aren’t going so great, I can drown the emotions (or sometimes, reignite them) by throwing in some earbuds and listening to music until the feelings subside. I love how the opening five seconds of a song can be attached to a memory, whether it’s good or bad. Music has this effect that can bring people together in times of joy and sorrow. It transcends time; just look at how church hymns from centuries passed have held true and remain popular today.

My love for music compares to the way people in this area love West Texas high school football or the way kids love getting presents for Christmas. I just have this intense passion for the way that a bevy of instruments can bring different sounds and beats together to form such beauty.

Maybe music isn’t your thing; maybe something else stirs up a passion within you. But whatever craft or skill or hobby it might be, embrace it. Learn it. And remember that whatever we might do, we should do it for God and His glory (Colossians 3:23, 1 Corinthians 10:31).