Listen to the Music
Age 64
…it’s time to get back to the simple pleasures.
At age 11, I certainly wasn’t thinking about where I’d be at 64. Back then, I was simply happy, and as I realize now at this ripe age…just living in the moment. As I think back to the 60’s when the Beatles burst onto the scene, I recall a simpler time when the ability to live in the moment came naturally. It was the small things, like the birthday when my Dad gave me my first Sony transistor radio to listen to the Beatles. While I loved our family gatherings around the Ed Sullivan Show to watch the Beatles, to now have my very own radio to listen to their uplifting songs – “She Loves You” (yeah, yeah yeah)…oh, what a thrill! Now that I’m 64, I recognize the need to make a conscious effort to carve out time for life’s simple pleasures, including music! You see, it seems as if I let music disappear from my crazy-busy life without even realizing it. The rapid-fire pace of juggling career and family schedules over the last 30 years, took priority over having any music in my life. While my husband and children all have their own playlists and iPods, it occurs to me that I never experience the shared sound of music in our home, and I certainly haven’t taken the initiative to incorporate music into my own life. So, I’ve made a commitment to myself: I will no longer listen to news when I’m driving the car…I’m going to listen to music! As a self-professed news junkie, having spent the bulk of my career working for two news organizations, this was no easy decision. My 27-year-old daughter has since turned me onto Sirius radio’s Channel 18 - the Beatles Station, which is now my go-to for a quick mood boost! My next favorite stations are Bruce Springsteen and Coldplay. I even love listening to Frank Sinatra, which conjures up wonderful memories of growing up and listening to music with my Dad on his turntable. In short, music takes me away from the constant news cycle and sets me free…even if it’s just for a short period of time. Moving forward, I see a turntable in my future…time to pull out all those old albums. Perhaps turn it on when I’m cleaning house…what a wonderful new thought! Or, how about background music for dinner…come on, it’s time to get back to the simple pleasures. Who knows….I may even create my own playlist and open the AirPods my family gave me for Christmas 2019.