Music and the Constant Struggle Within

I Took It as a Sign
by Daniel Ladinsky

Someone sent a band to my house,
And it started playing
At five in the morning.

I took this as a sign
God wanted me to sing!

Then the moon joined in
And a few of the tenor-voiced stars,

And the earth offered its lovely belly
As a drum.

Before I knew it,
I realized
All human beings could be happy

If they just had a few music lessons
From a Sweet Old Maestro
Like Hafiz
~~~~

I had a very exhausting day today. I had been putting up flyers for a music festival we are having next weekend. The sun was nice and hot, but I was very tired by the end and some grumpy attitudes that emerged later in the day did not help.

I stole off to the bookstore later and sautered by the religion section, my candy store, just for a quick peek. I saw a book of poems and opened to the poem I wrote above and smiled in my own secret satisfaction. Here was a clear message given. I began singing in my head and pondering the own impact of music in my life.

Music is a very powerful thing to me. It helps me communicate, think, feel, work out issues and move smoothly through things that sometimes just would not make sense any other way. I see music as my first language because I read music before I read words. It courses through my veins and brings fluidity to silence.


Music allows me to connect to God in ways words never could. I can express myself through it and can develop prayers around it more powerful than those created in other mediums for myself. I see the beauty of creation and the vibrant way life moves in a rhythmic, musical way that brings the reality of God in focus for me.


Music is very deep to me and at different times, different words and sounds can mean more to me than others. A strong, heavy metal song with hard words brings a psychological release that can bring me to peace instantly while a pastoral classical song can help me through the stressful rigors of rush hour traffic. When I lived overseas, a rap song infused with the sounds of my home state brought immediate tears to my eyes, despite its absurd subject matter, because the sounds of it sent me home in my mind at a crucial moment. On the way home from the bookstore tonight, a poignant Arabic song with words I did not understand, helped me understand my arrogance of thought.


I believe music serves many purposes in life and no matter where we find ourselves, there is some type of music that can help bring us closer to ourselves and closer to something higher than ourselves.

Today, music deflated my ego, recentered my thoughts and helped me breathe.

~~~~~

"But celebrate the praises of thy Lord, and be of those who prostrate themselves in adoration."
Qu'ran 15:98

~~~~
Kelly
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com