Chappy’s On Eagle’s Wings
Music Is Our Soul Food
by Ron Ringo
The 21st is Father’s Day and I would like to dedicate this article to all Father’s, who often quietly give so much of themselves for their families and are regularly wanting to be better at enjoying the music of life around them… Me included... A while ago I was talking with someone about how music can affect us, and most all people, in many ways. In fact, as I have written before, Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time” has been sung to motivate the souls of people to do their very best at the Olympics.
In this baseball season, when we are at a ball game and we sing the National Anthem at the start of the game, it often sends emotions running through my body. Or, have you ever been at a funeral and were doing fine until TAPS is played? That’s what I’m talking about.
What is it about music that creates such a power over us? And we aren’t unique; people all over the world have the same connection with music. It can create a sense of pride, peace, strength, love, passion, power, calm and patriotism. Probably, like you, throughout my life I have had a few songs tucked away for when I have to deal with different life issues.
When I was a young Marine in Boot camp and had long runs or hikes to complete, I used a couple favorite church hymns to help me forget the pain. While in the Sheriff’s Academy, our class chose the song “Eye of the Tiger”, from “Rocky II”, as our motivation song.
Whenever I feel a little out of place people have heard me sing an old comfortable standby, “I Wish I Was an Oscar Myers Weiner”. I don’t know why that one comes into my mind, but it does help me deal with the situation better instead of stressing over it.
I bet if you think about it, you have some songs that ease your soul at given times of your life. It is amazing how such a simple thing can have so much power. Think about it a little more…what is one of the first things a young mother will do with a crying infant? She sings a lullaby. Recently even a University Research group discovered that certain music could stop dogs from barking. This helps confirm the old saying, “That music sooths the savage beast.”
I have read that we may never really fully understand why good music is able to provide us with feelings of comfort and peace. We do know that those who worked hard and long as slaves used music to help them endure the day and heavy labor. That music sung and listened to, soothed the soul. It seemed to be the music that Thomas Carlyle was referring to when he wrote, “Music is well said to be the speech of angels.” And it has also been said that, “we speak with our lips, but to sing we must use our hearts.”
The other thing that music does is it helps us to tell a story. Music is all about telling stories. It also is sometimes so filled with emotion and power that, again, if I get you to think on a particular song, it can bring you right to a specific time or place and person you were with. School days, a love, an event, etc… Music has the power of influencing lives of individuals and even destinies of nations.
However, not all music is so uplifting or positive in its lyrics. That is why it is so important to choose good music to listen to. Through every generation the parents of that generation became horrified with the sounds of the Jitterbug, or Jazz, or Rockabilly, or Rock & Roll, or Heavy Medal, or RAP or Grunge and on and on…It isn’t so much the music, as it is the lyrics. There can be good found in all forms; we just have to be picky.
In one of my past assignments, I led groups on weekend retreats to reflect on life’s issues. We used music to hear the stories of the writers to connect with the feelings that we may be having, and then talk with others about what they were. Music and videos are used in many therapies today.
It has been said that, “Whether we sing or listen with our hearts, music spans barriers of language and time to knit human hearts together in common experience and mutual devotion.”
Shelley, once wrote, “Music, when soft voices die, vibrates in the memory.” An example I’ll share is, a few years ago I was diving home from work a few weeks before Christmas. I was listening to the radio, when a song sung by Kathy Mattea, “Mary Did You Know” played. If you have ever heard that song, you’ll know what I mean when I say; I almost had to pull the car over. I just started having tears, (burning nose syndrome for us macho guys) run down my face. My chest was heaving from the powerful message of that simple song. I wish this medium aloud you to hear it, but a few of the words go like this…
“Mary, did you know that your baby boy, would someday walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy, would save our sons and daughters?
Mary did you know that your baby boy, is the Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy, would someday rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy was Heaven’s perfect Lamb?
This sleeping Child you’re holding is the great “I AM”.
Powerful messages can come from the gift of music. However there is another thought to consider about music. Is all music singing or instrumental? No, I think it is also more than that. If we would listen for the music in ordinary sounds all around us, we would hear many forms of sweet harmony. It might be the wind ruffling the leaves of trees, or the laughing of a little child, or the sound of a foghorn blowing repeatedly from a lighthouse.
Whatever it may be, if we would but take the time to listen and hear life all around us, we will experience the verse from the movie The Sound of Music, “The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music.” They are alive, in our cities, work places and homes.
In closing, Shakespeare wrote, “The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils.” Let us take in the musical sounds all around us each and every day. That we may appreciate life more deeply, deep within our soul, with greater joy and happiness, is my prayer for us all this week. Have a great Father’s Day weekend.
As always, it is my hope that this message will help you this week to, “mount up as on eagle’s wings”, and renew a little of your strength to keep moving forward and find joy… (Isaiah 40:31)
Until next time, may God bless you and may God continue to bless our great nation… SEMPER FI
Chaplain Ringo, is the Command Chaplain at MCRD H&S BN, holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Counseling, and is a Certified Trauma Specialist.
Chaplain Ringo is a good friend and supporter of HealthWalk’s. We are grateful that he is working with us on our integrated total health approach to enhancing and restoring our veterans’ resilience for re-engagement and for their transition from the high operational tempo back to their families and civilian life.