DAY 6 of 50 – There is Music in My Soul Today

Today was one of those music-filled Sundays in my life. An hour of practice before church. Then off to accompanying the musical number in Sacrament Meeting with the beautiful and talented Cannon girls. Followed by 2-hours of substituting for piano in Primary, and another hour to substitute accompany for Ward Choir. And lastly a quick run to the neighbors’ to see their brand new grand piano and get a personal Rachmaninoff concert.

   Lately I’ve been busy with a lot of other things, and just haven’t played the piano much. Usually I can get in an hour or two each week, but lately I don’t think I’ve played even that much each month.

   Oh, I can jump in in-a-pinch, like quickly learning a kindof-complicated song for the Young Women to sing at Girls Camp. Or filling in last-minute during Relief Society. But don’t throw anything too tough at me – I’ve been getting a little bit rusty.

   No good excuse either. “Busy” is just a way to say that I’ve put other things higher on my Priority List. Not that music isn’t important, but I’ve let a second job and a fun social life take up more of my time lately – and those are good things too.

   But there is something magical about music. Music has a way of making the world slow down just for a moment. Music brings a peace amongst the chaos of life. Music can touch the heart in ways that words along simply can’t. Yesterday I heard the song “Be Good to Yourself” by Journey – and it not only brought up the nostalgia of my Senior Year in High School, and Brett Bradford’s uncanny Steve Perry renditions, but got me excited thinking about my SECOND ROW seats for seeing Journey at Stadium of Fire in a few months. And today, listening to Amy and Rebekah and Melissa Cannon sing “If the Savior Were Beside Me” – well, the words of that song should give all of us pause about how we live our life.

   So maybe today wasn’t exactly a “Day of Rest” in the traditional sense – definitely no time for a nap today. But in a larger sense, because it was a day filled with music, my soul did get a chance to rest for a moment – even if my body was busy rushing from place to place. Each time my fingers touched those keys I would just let the spirit of the music fill me – and there is nothing so restful, so communing, as that. I may not be the most technically accurate pianist, but I do tend to play with my heart – and my heart is better for it. Every time.