SING SONG

By: Cynthia Litman

Pearl of the Day: A New Soundtrack

My lil Rock Star

Spring is near and hearing the birds chirp again is music to my ears and has me thinking of Eric Olson’s pearl “Music is what life sounds like.”

Indeed the rush of life often sounds like a big crescendo yet there is a subtle chord that we each hold. Our lives ebb and flow to our own beats and we flow in and out of rhythm.

If your life was set to music what would it sound like?

Perhaps, like angelic sounds praising you in hallelujah; evil and eerie tunes like The wicked witch of the east, Psycho or Jaws, alarming you towards danger; the charging sounds of horses; the heroes “here I come to save the day” song; the beautiful sounds of surprise - tah-dah; an operatic melodrama; the sounds of the ocean’s deep mysteries; or maybe the twinkling sounds of magic and discovery.

My soundtrack likes to shuffle and sometimes go into Auto tune mode. Other times it’s shut off altogether. While the singing beauty gene completely dodged me and has been virtually outlawed, music in its solitary or group form, is priceless and always there when I need it most.

How many times have you turned on the radio only to hear exactly what you needed to in music. It stikes the sad chord and just as easily helps me put on a happy face. Michael Torke asks “Why waste money on psychotherapy when you can listen to the B Minor Mass? 

Indeed, music is a wonderful therapy and the jukebox of my soul is filled with a variety of different beats. Music leads you down many paths – joy, sorrow, celebration and love.  It accompanies you on road trips and can set you in a running zone. It's often sensual, powerful, raw, innocent and any one chord can invoke a waterfall of emotions. 

The power of music is at our fingertips and you are the conductor.  

The other day in the car, my kids began signing spontaneously, to the tune of Beyonce’s "Single Ladies” which we’ve edited to “all the stinky babies…. Get your hands up…. I’m off to the tub….” They realized the other was singing too and wanted get in tune but they kept missing eachother, they’d start, then stop…. It was hilarious.  They then stopped and talked about what song they’d sing and It took them a few tries and counting off 1, 2, 3 until they got in harmony. I had two full fledged pop stars in my back seat, singing away, happy as can be.

Music appreciation is a deeply personal experience and I’m learning how to help their relationship with music evolve and deepen. My kids can really get down! We have regular dance parties and I love their impromptu Grammy Award worthy performances.

I love how their singing has developed from the cooing of their baby stage to the sing songy stage now my sons got this rock star thing happening and my girl is channeling her inner Bari Koral, who joins us this week on the Mommas Pearls radio show to help us further explore the importance of music in our children’s lives.

If your soundtrack sounds like a broken record, strike some new chords.

Copyright © 2011 Cynthia Litman d/b/a Tigris Imprints. All Rights Reserved.