2 minute read
Music is My Therapy
shame, hope, despair, love. The list is endless. Sometimes I am brought to my feet by a good beat, and I just need to dance it out or sing my heart out. The car, or the shower, are perfect places to let those vocals flow! Or if you are not afraid to sing in public, karaoke night can be a blast!
For me, music is what sports is for many people. It’s entertainment, it’s therapy, and it is fun all in one. Your favorite singers, concerts, singing competitions, hanging out in Nashville to feel the nostalgia and the raw talent all bring people together. If you haven’t looked at music as a form of therapy, I challenge you to listen, open your heart, and allow yourself to feel the lyrics. Really immerse yourself in the song and see where it takes you.
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I will leave you one of the most impactful moments a song has provided for me. My dad was in the ICU on a ventilator the end of last summer (it wasn’t Covid-19 related), and things weren’t looking good. My husband and I were driving to get a room for the night close to the hospital, because they had called and said it’s best to be nearby. A song came on that had never played on my Pandora before. How Great Thou Art, performed by Carrie Underwood. The song is amazing song, but the power that Carrie puts into it takes the song to another level. As the song was playing, I looked at the clock and it was 9:11 which is my dad’s birthday. My husband and I looked at each other and we both felt it. We felt it was dad’s time to go, and this was my message letting me know. I didn’t cry when the song was playing; I felt a sense of peace and comfort. The next morning, I had to make the hardest decision of my life; the decision to take him off of life support. As hard as it was, I knew it was the right thing to do, and hearing that song the night before validated that decision.
The song plays often now on my Pandora. Some days it makes me feel sad and others I smile, but either way I always feel the special connection with my dad and I know he’s in a better place.
You can keep up with Brenda at @donorbrenda
Photographs provided by Brenda Cortez
