Sunday, October 19, 2014

31 Days: Days 17, 18, & 19 {Music & Memories}


When I last wrote,  I told you that one of the hardest parts of writing is weeding through all the stuff in my head. I have so many things to think about, so many things to pray about, and in the midst of that, I seem to question everything.

This weekend was very busy with other obligations and so writing took a back seat.
But as I was driving 3 hours away for a house-warming party, I had plenty of time think and weed through the tall thoughts in my head.

I'm not sure I came to any great conclusions or solved all the world's problems or anything like that, but being alone with my thoughts and a little music was refreshing.

It was on this drive that I was struck again by how much memories are tied to other senses. Music and hearing are big memory triggers for me.
It seems I can remember where I was {in life, more than location} or where I most often heard a particular song just by hearing it again.

I can remember elementary school and my first "boom box" with a radio and dual tape deck. I remember listening to the radio every morning before school and hearing songs like Madonna's Lucky Star and Borderline. Crazy for You is still one of my favorites, even though in college I began to associate that song with my husband versus whomever I had a crush on when the song was popular.


My 6 hours in the car on Saturday involved my finger on the "scan" button often, but I settled on late 80's and early 90's tunes a lot. It's amazing how music and memories can affect your moods! Lucky for me, the music brought smiles of recognition and fond memories from my childhood.

The other thing that happened on my drive and sparked some memories was the siting of my High School Marching band on the road.  Well, not the band themselves, but the truck and trailer they use to transport equipment to and from competitions.

I was in the Rifle Line section of the Color Guard for a brief year in high school. It was both a year of "bests" and a year of worsts for me.
It was my one and only experience with Band Camp.
Some of my strongest sensory memories are connected to band camp.  We weren't too far away from home, but we were away.  We used the campus of a small college a couple of hours from my hometown. It was my first experience staying in a dorm room.

I remember it rained a lot that week, but mostly summer showers.  In case you weren't aware, band practice was generally rain or shine, as were competitions.  The college was keeping the grass well cut since we were learning our "drill" points on a practice football field.

To this day, the combined smell of fresh cut grass and a summer storm take me back to band camp.
I remember the people I was just meeting and getting to know who would become some of my best friends that year.
I remember those I was just getting to know who would make my life hell for that coming year.


Another smell that takes me back, this time of year especially, is the smell of burning leaves.
We had lots of shedding trees in our yard when I was growing up.  After hours of raking them all up, my Dad would gather them in one spot and set them aflame.  Back then, I hated the chore of raking them up, but I can't remember a time I didn't enjoy the fire and the smell of those leaves burning.

With my 20th high school reunion coming up next weekend, I know there are lots more memories coming my way.
So while I may not have gotten rid of all the loud thoughts in my head this weekend, the music and memories gave me a little escape.

What about you? What helps you escape the noise of everyday life? 
Memories, music, writing? 
Something else?






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