Music is more than a Sound

I was not going to give up my newly acquired routine simply
because I chose the warmest summer in years to start my exercise
regimen. To contend with the soaring mid day temperatures, I got
up very early and “hit” the cool empty streets at dawn.
With the sun low on the horizon, the air crisp and the morning dew
intensifying the color of every leaf and flower; and of course with
music playing from my phone, my feet had no choice but to do more
of a dance than a speed walk.
With no one to notice my undignified behavior, I started humming along with the music.

And then my phone rang.
It was my groggy and overly concerned husband. He addressed me
by name, even pronounced the second syllable. A sure sign that he
was really annoyed.

I can’t understand you he said. Just last night we discussed how
dangerous your new habit is.
The streets are empty, it’s barely daylight and I am sure that you are
also totally engrossed in music and completely oblivious to your
surroundings.
You do realize that this is exactly how vice goes undercover to
realize a criminal action?
Is the irony of putting yourself in jeopardy for the sake of your health
is totally lost on you?

He may have realized that he needed to tone his rhetoric down.
El, May I remind you that we have a perfectly good treadmill in
a safe and comfortable climate controlled basement.

I have heard enough! I will be careful, but I need to continue..
I will be home in half an hour.
Then, please promise me that you will eliminate the distraction of
the ear phones..
As promised, I shut my phone and continued on.
The joy and ease of the previous half hour disappeared instantly.
Without music I was painfully aware of every step I took and every
muscle I moved.
Was it the music that kept me distracted and unaware of the exercise effort? Of course, but it did much more than that.
It transported me to another place and time.
Singing along with Bobby Darin, Neal Diamond and the Stones, I was twenty again.
Listening to a Harlem Nocturne and Dinah Washington, I was
a bride again.
But music is a lot more than just a visceral response. Research
in Neuroscience indicates that rhythmic structured sounds like music have an enormous effect on our brain’s ability to prime, time and execute movement as well as creating an increase in the production of serotonin, a feel good hormone.
It reminded me that twenty years ago my mother in law suffered
a series of strokes. The only way we could reach her was with music. We discovered it accidentally. Shortly after she was diagnosed with stroke related memory loss and aphasia, the Nursing home invited my husband and myself to attend the annual Christmas party. We were amazed, my mother in law was joyfully singing along, remembering the lyrics to every song.
We both knew at that instant what was required from us.

In the following weeks and months we would find and learn music from the 1940’s and the 1950’s,
record it and bring it along with us on each one of our visits.
My mother in law would always ask us to play for her “When my
old wedding ring was new”, tear up and tell us that her husband’s favorite song was “Stardust”.
John will put on The Andrew Sisters
or Johnny Mercer and her mood will change in an instant.
She repeatedly told us how much she loved our music sessions.
I know that it helped her. But it helped us just as much.
As soon as I will get home I have a lot to say to John, right after
I tell him never to ask me to stop playing my music.