Ode To Music

Dear Music,

I’ve known you for as long as I can remember. Even in the womb, you made my heart leap. While pregnant with me, my mother played her violin and I danced. We established our formal relationship, beginning with the violin, at the tender age of six, and I have never looked back.

Even though you have multiple personalities, I love you anyway. I love the classical, the theatrical, I love big band and good ol’ classic rock and roll. If I were you, I’d do away with rap and hard rock, but that’s your choice. I will love you no matter what.

Oh, music, whenever I am stressed or overwhelmed, you are there at my side. I can feel peace overcome my body as my fingers move along the smooth piano keys. Although you have brought frustration at times, most of our interactions have been joyous beyond measure. You have brought tears of joy to my eyes more times than I can count. You have saved me from a boring existence of monotonous day-to-day living to a life exploding with excitement and new adventures. You have taken me to places such as Idaho, Utah, California, Mexico and China and I look forward to meeting you in Washington D.C. this summer. Besides the physical locations, you have brought me to new emotional heights I may not have reached had you not been present.

During the times I play my viola in an orchestra, immersed in the sounds of warm strings, powerful brass and fluttering woodwinds, I feel like I am flying. My heart beats with the drums and I feel you flowing through my veins. When I am playing, I feel a sense of exhilaration that only you can provide. When I play spiritual hymns of praise, I feel a closer relationship to my Heavenly Father. I feel as though I am Lehi, witnessing “…God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.”* Music, you give me a taste of heaven.

I hope you don’t mind, but I feel the need to share our relationship with others. I want them to feel that same kind of indescribable happiness you have brought to my life. I don’t want to be selfish and keep it all to myself. I am not breaking up with you, only expanding our relationship to include other people. I hope that’s alright with you. I look forward to many more years of elation with each other.

Forever yours, Nicole

* 1 Nephi 1:8