What happens when you hear your favorite song on the radio?  Does it make you smile, reminisce, take a step back in time?  Does a quiet tear slide down your cheek remembering a lost love?  While I sat with my husband at a vocal jazz ensemble concert that our grandson was performing in I had each of those emotions.  My heart also swelled to see the immense amount of love he has for music, for you see music has played a significant role in my life since I was 5 years old.

I started taking piano lessons when I was 5 years old.  My mother made us all take lessons AND of course actually practice which I thoroughly enjoyed.  My piano teacher’s name was Ann Buckmiller.  She was a kind, patient teacher who did not incorporate the norm of having to memorize music for recitals but more taught the skill of being able to read music off the cuff.  Through that skill I was able to bring that to my many years of being a church organist, accompanist for various vocal and instrumental groups throughout the area, weddings, funerals, and as a choir director.  I started playing flute when I was in 5th grade, taught myself to play a little trumpet, took guitar lessons, and now learning to play violin.  

A road trip or a simple drive home from work and hearing that “one song” can bring me back to a specific time in life or even to an exact moment or a special person.  I can hear “Hold the Line” by Toto and instantly be transported back to high school and cruising Main Street in Fertile or hearing Garth Brooks’ “Friends In Low Places” and picturing one of my best friends, Sean Weibel standing on the stage at Rooters (now known as Crooks Club) belting it out with his witty smile and unique Sawyer Brown moves.  It could be Michael W. Smith and “Breathe” which I have the first line of the treble score tattooed on my right leg.  I hold a Heart song extremely close to my heart that simply is tucked away with a very special smile when heard.  

I have found that music will trigger memories that I had simply lost (and my grandson is happy to let me know that is called, “Short-term memory loss, Gramma.”). But we also know that music is good for our well-being also.  It can aid in stressful situations, help in healing, and reduce pain.  It is simply good for our body, mind, and soul.  Oftentimes you will find me cruising down Highway 102 and County 41 with my Bose stereo cranked rather loud listening to Ozzy’s Boneyard or Hair Nation dodging the deer.  This allows for release of what I heard, cried over, laughed about, and was frustrated over during my 10-hour shift as a 911 dispatcher before I walk through my back door of my house. The loud music with pounding bass gives me peace; oh how ironic.

The strands of the love and talent of music continues to be weaved through our family that I know stemmed from my great-grandfather Viker and now seeded deep within the grandchildren.  My heart is warmed through the vocal and instrumental concerts at their schools and the little concerts at a family gathering.  As for me, I will quietly play my piano which gives me peace and brings back special memories of a time when my children were little sitting next to me on the bench as we played a “duet.” I will blast “Crazy Train” on my way to work and Five Finger Death Punch and Motörhead on the way to the races.  As  I am escorted on my way to heaven, music will play an important part of the service.  Of course there will be the necessary “normal” Christian music but I cannot leave it there.  A funeral is a celebration and I know that music brings joy.  So on that “note” my family knows my wishes so there is  request from them to have one particular song to be played.  Sing and dance me out to AC/DC “You Shook Me All Night Long.”   Turn it up, turn it up very loud and dance as if no one is looking!