Music and Memories

This morning Augustine and I made a trip to the library.  Visiting the library is a new thing for us, and my favorite section has quickly become the kid's musical cd section {aside from the pregnancy/nursing/mom section, which I can never get enough of!}.  Music is a part of each morning for me and the little guy, and we always welcome a little variety--thank you library!  

One of our cd picks today was Love Songs Lullabies, featuring tunes like "What a Wonderful World," "The Way You Look Tonight," and the inspiration for this blog: "Morning Has Broken" {performed by various artists, but most notably in my life, Cat Stevens}.  

The moment the familiar song began playing this afternoon, I was overwhelmed with emotion.  I can't listen to Cat Stevens {or James Taylor or Carole King for that matter} without feeling nostalgic. 

I have few memories of my short time with my Mom, but songs by those artists have a special place in my heart because they remind me of her. 

I don't a specific memory that elicits my emotion--just a generalized familiarity of the songs and the knowledge that I first heard them at home by my Mom's side.  I flash back to my childhood living room--I can still picture the old record player and how it sat upon the low wooden shelf spinning out my Mom's favorite music.  But mostly, I just remember those familiar tunes, and they always take me back to a happy place. 

Knowing what I do about my Mom, it's just the kind of music I would imagine her to like. 

Any small connection I can make to my Mom is such a gift.  Who knew something unspoken of, and as simple as music, would help me feel my Mom 21 years after her death?       

Maybe my Mom put on music each morning when I was little, like I do with Augustine now.  And I hope someday when he is older he will hear the songs we used to listen to and, for reasons unknown, be drawn to them the way I am to my Mom's soul music of the 70s.      

I love you, Mom!  Happy Mother's Day!  Pray for us!!