Music is a lifeline that weaves our memories, emotions, and every aspect of life together. The highs and the lows of life can be softly comforted by music.
Music itself creates a symphony within the brain.
Almost all the sections within our brains are fired up while listening to music. It can help to ease degenerative brain disorders when listening, stimulating the amygdala and hippocampus, two portions of the brain that heavily oversee memory. Not only is the brain triggered by music, but the motor system is as well, with compelling movements such as head bobs, tapping, and dancing.
Patrick Whelan, a Harvard Medical School lecturer, theorizes that this desire can be an inheritance from our evolutionary past, in which sound and scent were crucial to staying alive. This trait was passed down through many generations of several different species and now is one of the most important things in human life.
Physically, it has been proven that listening to Mozart’s D Major Sonata for Two Pianos can actually reduce epileptic seizures, according to Stat News.
We don’t just listen physically, we listen deeply within our souls.
Besides the physical effects, music has held my hand through the best and worst parts of my life. As a kid, it took three and a half hours to drive to my grandparents’ house here in Portland. During those rides, there was never a second of silence — music was always playing, creating lifelong memories and emotional connections to certain songs and artists.
Two specific groups that bring back those memories are The Beatles and The Police. Both of these bands remind me of a much simpler time in my life that I can happily reminisce about.
My grandpa has also had an effect on my music taste, and some of the best memories I have with him include the most obscure music. A specific song that comes to mind is “In the Summertime” by Roger Miller, which we had heard on an episode of The Muppet Show and still enjoy listening to together.
Sometimes when I struggle to grasp how life can be so unpredictable and sad, music can help me acknowledge those feelings and help me get out of that funk.
I am constantly listening to music at school, in the car, in my room, and whenever I’m outside. It is something that makes me happy and makes me, me.
Music is still how I bond with people. It’s my go to for small talk and creating friendships and relationships with others. Being able to enjoy music by yourself is great, but sharing that experience with someone else is even better. One of my favorite things to do is make Spotify blends with people and talk about what we have in common and like about the playlists.
The fascinating thing is how music can become ingrained in one’s memory, similarly to how a certain smell can trigger a memory.
I can see part of a person’s soul, past, and experiences through what they listen to in a way that words can’t describe.
In a disconnected and intense world, music grounds me and reminds me of what is real and what is important in my life.
Music is a raw, living memory that can create authentic relationships between people and healing in the body and soul.
