Imagine this. My husband walks into the house after a long day of work. He stops. Music is blaring from the living room and “the wife” (me) is singing “Ramblin’ Rose” at the top of her lungs. He’s witnessed this scenario before. Uh, oh. He thinks to himself. Something must have gone wrong at school today, or she may not be in a good mood. He knows that his teacher wife could have had any number of situations go badly in her day. He gulps and enters the room where the music is full steam. He’s about to the face the music and the singing plus find out what’s wrong.

It just so happens that every time I am emotional I turn to my therapy a.k.a music. It sends endorphins throughout my body, and the music helps me with my mood. I use music when I’m cooking so I can dance around the kitchen and sing my head off. Makes the job pleasurable and fun. Or, if I’m doing something I really despise I listen to hard rock and roll as loud as I can stand it to drown out the distaste of the task I’m performing. Music is functional, powerful, and has so much potential as therapy.

I like listening to music alone. I’m not a good singer, so therefore, I can sing and not embarrass myself. I can also pick out what I want to hear. Most young people probably haven’t even heard of Nat King Cole. However, he’s my all-time favorite. I know everyone of his songs and can sing along with him. I can imagine myself standing by his piano belting out his tunes with him as he plays those ivories. What a musician!

You know another characteristic about music that I love? They convey a message. I like “Ramblin’ Rose” and “Route 66” with Nat King Cole because they have meaning for me. I love to travel, and I can imagine just taking off going wherever the wind takes me. And I have actually traveled Route 66 many times going west to Kansas when I was young. So, songs strike at your heart, your memories, or your emotions. It all depends on the mood you are in at the time.

There are so many wonderful quotes and poems spoken of music and its benefits. I like what Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said. “Music is the universal language of mankind.” Confucius said in The Book of Rites, “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” So, if the wife needs to open her heart, open her lungs, and belt out “Ramblin’ Rose” to feel better, let her. I’m sure there is a song that puts you on the right track.