When was the last time you sang your favorite childhood song?
It could be any song—a commercial jingle, the theme from your favorite TV show, a lullaby your mother sang, or a nursery rhyme you sang with friends. If you still can’t think of a song, how about “Happy Birthday”?
The LA fires have been devastating. My heartfelt condolences go out to all who lost their homes, schools, neighborhoods, and cherished memories. Even if you weren’t directly affected by the fires, many of us experienced anxiety and stress. Some of us found temporary refuge under evacuation orders, while others in our circles lost everything
Many of us became glued to our phones, for any information about our neighborhoods and homes, and the latest announcements on the status of these fires. I felt addicted. It delayed my bedtime, and left my sleep unrestful. In my first ever experience of evacuation, the adrenalin in my body felt different from what I experience during performances. It was long-lasting. The jitter persisted haunting even my sleep and meditation. And I was not helping myself, insisting on the anxiety by clinging onto my smartphone for any news. I realized how harmful my behavior has been to my psyche when our evacuation warning was lifted: when I first came home and played the C-Major fugue by Bach. I felt my breathing and posture return to what they needed to be. I realized then, once again, what I’ve always known but from a new depth. While many things remain outside of our control, there is also so much within our power, starting with our breath and posture, and perspective. Music helps us with this, regulating our breath, pulse, blood pressure and our biochemistry.
Thus the question – what song would bring a smile to your face? What song would help you breathe better, deeper and slower? What song would bring you back to your happy place?
When catastrophes strike, our instinct is to act, work, and try to help. When we realize that we can’t be effective or helpful right away, it can make us feel helpless, discouraged, maybe even demoralized. But sometimes the most important thing we can do is to remain well and safe, and restore energy so that we can support the recovery effort for years to come, sustainably. Your well-being and safety mean so much to those who care about you, and your smile can inspire those around you.
So, let us sing the songs we love.
