I realize my age will be showing with this post, but I have lived these 44 years and am not sure I want to be any other age, so I don’t really mind. Bare with me here: Flashback to 1980:
I was graduating from high school, ready to leave for college, in love and into music. The Doobie Brothers was my band of choice and specifically the album “Minute by Minute”. Michael McDonald was the lead singer with an undeniably original voice and when he would bang those piano keys he stole my heart. I probably played that album over and over and over until the grooves wore out.
Flash forward to June 2007:
I received a call from a good friend on Friday telling me he had tickets to a semi-private concert given in Missouri by Michael McDonald. Seems he had extra tickets and wanted to know if I wanted to go. Are you kidding? I couldn’t pass up this chance to see and perhaps meet my musical idol. I made arrangements for the kids and was off. A fabulous black tie reception kicked off the evening. Upon entering the small auditorium, my heart actually began to race like some capricious teenager. Michael was introduced and as he strolled across the stage I thought - WAIT—who is that though somewhat sexy---old, overweight guy? For a split second I must have had a very perplexed look on my face, but when the music began my heart melted. I immediately recognized that familiar Michael McDonald style and was caught up in it for the next two hours. The reality is that we all age, but our inner spirit and gifts remain the same.
He began the concert with a song I had never heard—yes, it surprised me that there was actually a Michael McDonald song I hadn’t heard. Apparently he has a Christmas album and recorded on it is a song entitled “Peace”. He opens his concert with this song as a prayer for our country. Here is the chorus—such beautiful prose.
Love won't compromise
It's a gift, it's a sacrifice
My soul renewed, and my heart released
In you I'll find my peace
It is amazing how music marks milestone and memories within our lives. My life is especially this way. I loved the television show “Ally McBeal” because when Ally faced different life situations or different people within her life she would hear a theme song. I find I can chronicle my life in a similar fashion. When I think of past memories specific songs come to mind and I hear them in my head, or when I hear certain songs they immediately bring back reminiscences. Music has the amazing ability to mark our life, to bridge the past to the present and to create within us memories to hold close to our hearts.
This I know for sure.
5 comments:
Wow:
Love won't compromise
It's a gift, it's a sacrifice
Yet so often we are told that loving relationships are filled with compromise. In truth though, when I think about my relationship with Nick, we didn't compromise in our disagreements, because that would mean being less than satisfied, less than pleased.
We would willingly sacrifice something to please the other, but it wasn't really a compromise: It was a loving gift.
Wow.
Oh wow.
Thank you for this.
Marsha,
What is a groove?
Pentha,
This is beautiful:
"We would willingly sacrifice something to please the other, but it wasn't really a compromise: It was a loving gift."
That is what it truly means to have a loving and meaningful partnership. As I look back I wonder how Don and I knew this or if it just happened out of our mutual adoration. This is an awesome song if you have time to give it a listen.
am I younger?
Wish I knew which sibling, family member or wida friend you might be---however us old folks used to listen to music on something call a turntable (a.k.a. record player). We would put these large discs (which contained millions of grooves) of music onto these turntables. Then the needle on the record player would bear down into these grooves and music would magically come through the speakers. In its time--it was major technology.
http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/amg/pop_artists/P12018JRYP3.JPG
Talk about memory lane. I laughed because the mention of Michael McDonald reminded of the scene in The 40 Year Old Virgin, when David gets tired of the overplaying of Michael McDonald at Smarttech.
So, I challenge everyone to get their groove on with their CDs. lol Don't they have little pits in them instead of grooves?
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