Music is my Mantra

Bonnie you need to get out of my head!!! I was just thinking about doing a mini album about my love of music and how it defines much of who I am .....we are even starting to think alike. Scary!

For as long as I can remember I have had a love affair with music. According to my mom, it has been evident since before I was born. My mom swears that everytime Roberta Flack's, "Killing me softly" would come on the radio, I would wake up and gently kick her as if I was dancing! I believe it! Because music gets inside my SOUL! I also love to dance and music and dance go hand and hand. I danced professionally for years! Ballet, only for about 5 years, couldn't handle the pressure from my toes being injured. Tap for the longest along with Modern, Jazz, and African Dance. I have been able to dance since I started walking. My mom and dad used to laugh because as a baby I had alot of rhythm!

There has been times when I have been driving along and I have to stop my car and get out and dance!!! The music gets inside me. It possesses me, if you will. It totally transforms me. I can be in a melancholy state and let some music come on that I love, it's like a watching a caterpillar morph into a butterfly. I love music! There are days that i don't turn on my televison, but music will be playing.

I have to play music to do just about everything. I clean up faster to music! Honestly it's my motivation! I have to play music in my car. I would probably die without my music. I workout with my Ipod nano. I even do some nightime activiity to music...wink wink.....LOL

Like I said, I just feel it inside my soul. Music even has a time traveling ability. Think about it. Have you ever heard an old song and it takes you back in time, to when perhaps you were a young child or teenager? There are lots of songs that remind me of my child hood. I can remember shouting to top of my lungs .... "ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST...HEY...HEY HEY... AND ANOTHER DOWN AND ANOTHER ONE DOWN ...ANOTHER BITES THE DUST...HEY . .... WHEN GONNA GET YOU TOO, ANOTHER BITES THE DUST... LOL . It reminds me of my aunt Mae who passed on. She had a TAVERN, and every Saturday she held a Kiddie disco and I can remember my brotheer and I winning all of the dancing contests.. I also remember my favorite song was the DOUBLE DUTCH BUS!!!! I would make the dj play it over an over and over...

There are songs that can stir up all kinds of emotions.... I remember the first time my husband and I danced, it was to a song by Guy, called "Let's chill". We were sixteen and that was the moment I fell in love....LOL I also hated the song "do what I gotta do", by Ralph Tresvant (New Edition), because everytime we broke up, that song always seemed to be on the radio. LOL

Music can also take you to some dark places in your life. I cannot listen to John Legends "Ordinary People", because it was the song that was playing when my cat Liono died and that was devastating to my entire family. If the song comes on, I change it immediately or I have to hum over it and cover my ears, because if I don't I will break down.... you see...music can make you vulnerable too!

I really love music! It has brought me so much joy! Without it, my life would have a void! Can you imagine life without music. I think my love of music is deep rooted, genetically passed down from my African ancestors and my Native American ancestors....the beat of the drum is like the beat of the heart. Without your heart, you cannot live!!! I have been in church sometimes and have to catch myself, because when our drummer starts to CLOWN on his drums, my shoulders automatically start to roll and bounce....LOL I have to remind myself "Dana, you are in church, NOT AT THE 50 YARD LINE.....lol.

Think about what your life would be like if there was NO MUSIC of ANY KIND. Not even the beat of the drum..... Would you be able to live without it? Personally, I know I couldn't.... I would shrivle up and die...

What has music done for you? Please share. It has done so much for me. I love Gospel music too, it has truly brought me closer to God! There are songs that have touched me so deeply that I have sobbed uncontrollably. Tears of joy....Tears of thanks and praise, to my Lord and Saviour..... tears of appreciation of all the blessings bestowed upon me. I call it "Gettin' happy'. Oh yes, church will do that for you.....the Lord's music will do that for you. If I can be frank, it has saved my life! There has been times I wanted to give up and an inspirational song will play on the radio or I was in church and the message as well as the music touched my heart.

I bet you are saying.... "Music can't have that much power..... my reply to you will be MUSIC IS MY EMPOWERMENT!!!

Bonnie, I sure loved your challenge girl! Hope I didn't ramble on too long guys! But, by now you know me.....LOL

Until next time!
Dana