Songs that evoke memories

Are you one of those people who can hear a song and instantly be transported back in time to a memory, however fleeting? I am one of those. Is that weird?

Songs, much like scents, can evoke memories. Lately I've been trying to be more in tune to how different songs make me think of times past. Instead of just brushing off a memory that a song triggers, I actually say out loud to myself "that reminds me of...". I think by doing this, I am making a better memory bank of songs for that day when I will actually sit down and create a slide show. Or maybe make a play list.

Now, not all memories are pleasant ones. There are plenty of songs that bring back sad memories, such as break ups or times when I felt like nobody in my family loved me as a child. There are songs from the 1970's that remind me of family vacations, or picnics, or my mom sitting in the front seat singing along while her 7 children rolled their eyes and silently made fun of her (ABBA "Knowing You, Knowing Me" comes to mind, on a trip to the Smoky Mountains, when we bought some 8-track tapes from a roadside stand...).

There are songs (that Radio Disney seems to have resurrected) that remind me of the carefree days of high school, or elementary school. I distinctly remember David Bowie's "Changes"...it is a memory that makes me cringe. I remember standing in the high school auditorium with the rest of my Senior class after the Senior Variety Show, and they played that song at the end. Everyone around me knew the words...except me. I pretended to know the words. "Margaritaville" is another one of those humbling songs.

That wasn't my kind of music. I've always had "mom taste" in music. I have preferred songs by vocalists such as Whitney Houston, Olivia Newton-John, Barry Manilow...you get the picture. I was not exactly Prom Queen material (not to mention the braces and bifocals I had worn since age 13)...but I digress.

It is a fun exercise to do. When you hear a song, stop for a moment and try to think of a memory that it evokes. Some songs can be great for slide shows, or playlists. I Tunes is a great place to find and buy those old songs. If you are like me you have a box of LPs in your basement with no turntable to play them on. Or a bunch of cassette tapes in boxes that you probably won't ever listen to again. Now, you don't have to buy a whole cd to get one or two good songs. Spend some time searching on I Tunes and find those songs that really bring back great memories for you. Make a play list and burn it onto a cd, or load it onto your I Pod. Play it when you need to just reflect on where you have been and where you are now. I always find that when I hear a song that brings me back to a time in my life where I felt lost (let's say from about 1977 to 1993...:)), I can stop and say a little prayer of thanks that God has me where He has me today.

Sometimes, I like to reflect and wallow in the bittersweet memories of those lost or dark times, and I can actually bring back the feelings I felt then, as if they had just happened to me. But I don't let myself do that for very long, it is probably not all that healthy. I just think it is cool to be able to bring those memories and feelings to mind, and be more "present" in my own life. We all know, as busy parents, days blur into weeks that blur into months that blur into years.

If you have trouble getting started, play a little game with your kids. Have them ask you about different years (i.e. first grade, kindergarten, freshman year), and try to remember a few things that happened during that year. A few years ago, the kids and I played that game, and I was amazed at the different, random memories that came to mind when I concentrated. And most of the time, I could recall a song that reminded me of that time. It was so much fun, and the kids really enjoyed it. The picture at the top of the post depicts the kids and I playing this game while on a family vacation in Door County in 2002. A song that will always remind me of that trip is "If I Had a Million Dollars" by the Barenaked Ladies. That is a family favorite song now.

This is just one small way to stop and smell the roses, or hear the music, and really reflect on where you've been and where you are now. Try it sometime, and keep a list of songs and memories in a journal or a notebook and then develop a playlist from this list.

Getting back into the swing of things

Today I started back up in a Bible Study. We are studying "Esther" which is Beth Moore's new study. So far, I like it. It is going to be all about being a woman. I think it will be a good study. This morning, as I was driving across town to the study, I was happy to find my ipod on the floor of the car between the seats.

Either I have not been driving much lately (which is weird because I certainly haven't been home...as evidenced by the fact that my Christmas decorations are STILL UP!), or I just haven't had my ipod playing. Maybe I've been listening to too much talk radio. I much prefer listening to music. So, today I put on my "favorites" playlist and just let it play. I don't even remember what is on this play list. Sometimes that is a good way to hear music in a new way, just let the ipod play on "shuffle" or "random".

I can get into a rut when I only listen to a certain playlist over and over again. Today I really enjoyed hearing some good Alison Krauss from her live album. Her songs remind me of a few summers ago, sitting at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, listening to Alison and her band play. The weather was perfect; we didn't get rained upon (which is rare during a summer concert at Red Rocks), and Alison's voice was just clear and pure. In fact, my hubby and I remarked about how quiet the crowd was; it wasn't a typical Red Rocks concert. In fact, I remember crumpling up my soft pretzel wrapper, and the people in front of us turned around as though I had just completely ruined their experience with my rude loudness. (It was kind of funny) Listening to Alison this morning took me back a few summers when things just seemed simpler. I'm not sure why; I'll have to mull that one over. I think it is because her music is simple and sweet.

Wednesday of this week I got up before the crack of Dawn to be in a two hour Zumba class/live broadcast for a local TV station. My sweet husband insisted that I do this; he stayed home long enough in the morning to make sure all 3 kids were safely off to school. They watched the news to see me. I wish I had set up our VCR to tape it. I have no idea what it all looked like. About every 20 minutes or so, we did a live shot, just for a few minutes. I figured we'd just wait around between live shots but actually we ended up dancing for almost the entire time. It was exhausting!

I had to go straight to work from there (I felt sorry for my co-workers...i'm sure I was totally RIPE by that point) and by the afternoon, I was pretty exhausted. But the music in Zumba class is very energizing. I love Latin music! I never knew I loved it until about mid-November when I started going to Zumba at my health club. It is addicting. You can't help but feel great when you hear the music. It is the most fun I have ever had working out. I am actually sad when class is over! That, I can honestly say, has NEVER happened to me in my lifetime!

I have a few songs on my ipod by a group called The Iguanas. We got a cd probably about 15 years ago when we were dating, from our friend, who has the largest music collection I have ever seen. He knows and appreciates so many obscure groups, and sometimes we just end up falling in love with his new discoveries. The Iguanas play all sorts of cool music. Some of the songs, I can imagine, would be excellent for Zumba classes. Maybe I'll make a playlist of them and on the days that I can't get to class, I'll just Zumba in my bathroom!

I don't know what it is about Latin music, but it makes me feel like I'm on a beach vacation. I used to listen to the spanish radio station when I lived in downtown Chicago, years ago. It reminded me of being in Cancun. Maybe that is why I now correlate my Zumba music with being on a vacation. I just hope that someday if we ever travel back to Mexico or somewhere way down south, I'll be able to get up and do a salsa, cumbia, merengue, or cha cha like a native. If you have never heard of Zumba, you should check out the website and find a class near you. www.zumba.com. It is an amazing workout (I've yet to see any weight loss, but I can totally tell my core and hips are getting in shape). You'll probably love the music too; just give it a chance.