This I Believe

(A Melody Brings Back a Memory)

It has been said that variety is the spice of life. If that is true then music must by default be the salt and pepper. I choose this analogy based on the basic and fundamental nature of music and how it affects people. I believe that music has the potential to touch each of our lives in very special ways. Country artist Clint Black once wrote (Ain’t it funny how a melody can bring back a memory? Takes us to another place in time, completely change our state of mind.) This has certainly happened to me and it has probably happened to you at one time or another.

Every time I hear a John Philip Sousa march or any number of other patriotic songs I can’t help but remember many years ago when I was home on leave from the Navy. My grandmother had asked me to take her to a patriotic Veterans Day type of concert at the Iowa State Fairgrounds grandstand. Now I have always been as patriotic as the next guy, but this was not my idea of how to spend one of my precious days of leave. But I sucked it up and took Bert to the concert. To this day, whenever I hear (America the Beautiful) or (This Land is Your Land,) or any other traditional marches, I think back to that day. I see the little old lady and the young sailor with our hands over our hearts and tears rolling down our cheeks as the flag marched by. I never got a chance to thank her for letting me take her to that show.

Likewise, I don’t think I will ever hear (Peaceful Easy Feeling) by the Eagles without thinking of my best friend Bob Stradley. Later in my military career I was at a military school in Southern California where Bob lived at the time. Being from Iowa, I had never seen the desert so he and I headed out one night, far beyond the city lights, armed with a few beers and some Eagles tapes. As we studied the night sky, the constellations, the Milky Way, the moon rise, and the desert night, the Eagles suddenly surprised us both: (And I want to sleep with you in the desert tonight, with a million stars all around.) We looked at each other and cracked up. (Wow! That was cool!) Two Iowa boys, in the desert, a million stars, well, suffice it to say we both still laugh when we hear that line to this day.

Of course there are many others. (Diamond Girl) reminds me of my high school sweetheart, who is now my wife of 28 years. (Color My World) played at our prom. You have some too. Your wedding song, maybe your first dance, a song that pulled you out of a serious funk, any number of other songs and occasions. So in this smorgasbord of life, don’t forget to use some spice. And go heavy on the salt and pepper. Music will see you through this next ordeal, and leave you a fine memory on the other side.