The Gift of Music

There are few things in life that soothe the soul, inspire the mind, enliven and enlighten the spirit like music. For me, a rousing improvisational piano piece gets me every time. An acoustic guitar, the perfect blending of a choir singing in one voice, or the variations of a symphony, speaks a language of its own. But chances are, most any instrument when skillfully wielded, does it for me as well. A cappella and whistling included.

I don't consider myself to be very musically talented. Sure, if no one else in the room knows piano, I can play a song or two, as I did in last Priesthood meeting in church on Sunday. I'm also singing in a couple Christmas choirs this year! I know just about enough music to be able to appreciate good music* when I hear it. I enjoy practicing by myself in the shower or car or in a small group just as much as performing.  

There is much to be said for the electric atmosphere of crowds appreciating the same music.

Music has a stirring effect that words can’t quite describe. Music transcends culture, gender, race, biases, and connects people with each other. Music excites crowds at athletic events, gives added energy to a performer, and praises God.

While on a volunteer mission for my church in China, I was not understanding much Chinese at all and was extremely disconcerted until one moment when the Chinese congregation began signing a hymn in Chinese to a familiar tune. My body instantly responded and all of my worries melted away and I was filled with love and happiness.  It's true. I have a testimony of the power of music. The Lord even said that "the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing."** I also enjoy the inspired Psalms of the Old Testament! King David's harp reportedly had the power to cast out evil spirits.*** Music has a relaxing peaceful quality that promotes mental, emotional health, spiritual, and physical health.

                      I also enjoyed watching synchronized Tai Chi sword movements to music.

Street musicians make my heart happy. Subway entrepreneurs, park enthusiasts, and trash can drummers included. And these people too:

There’s something about expressive music that sets people and their hopes and desires free. The desire of my heart is to one day have a family of my own to make music with. If my future wife is agreeable, we shall conscript our children to play various instruments and we’ll call it the Gould Family Singers and we’ll make a movie about fleeing from the Nazis. It’ll be epic. Some musicians describe moments of epiphany when creating songs while other musical endeavors span years. I thank my Heavenly Father for music and all of the talented people that play good music. 

These are a few of my favorite things:

• ·         Paul Cardall – He is Risen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgo3tEO8Xog
• ·         Jon Schmidt – All of Me   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fAZIQ-vpdw
• ·         Piano Guys – 1000 Years by Cristina Perri cover    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgaTQ5-XfMM
• ·         Boyce Avenue – Slide by Goo Goo Dolls cover    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfuuH1zrxfA
• ·         Collage by Silvard   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1Mk-hZaedo
• ·         Magnum Mysterium   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R84j_mBaHQ

* Definitions of “good music” vary widely. I use the term to denote music that encourages, inspires, uplifts, helps me focus, directs my thoughts and actions to do good, or makes me want to dance, tap my foot, or just drum on whatever’s in front of me. Good music expressly excludes music that promotes unclean or inappropriate thoughts, words, or actions or dulls spiritual sensitivity.
** D&C 25:12.
***1 Samuel 16:23.

The Day from Eden

This time around, I’ll allow my optimism to shine through a little and share about a few fantastic experiences that happened yesterday. A wise man once said, “Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great purpose in heart.” That wise man was none other than, Gordon B. Hinckley. I do my best to make this happen everyday, and yesterday, it was particularly easy:

I awoke to search for my Red Sox gear and head over to the 2013 Boston Red Sox World Series Championship Parade and I arrived at Boylston Street early both bright eyed and bushy tailed. I had seen a couple of games this season and this team played well together, much like most any other Red Sox team from year's past.

The atmosphere was electric as the first Duck boat cars drove past and the owners and managers presented the trophy exuberantly to the eagerly waiting crowd. To see exactly what a duck boat looks like, go to http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DuckTourBoston.agr.jpg. The cheers rose and fell according to the batting averages and ERA’s of the players riding by in each boat. The finale occurred as the final boat reached the spot where the Boston bombings occurred months earlier at the Boston Marathon Finish line, where the crowd sang “God Bless America” in one voice, while red, white, and blue confetti glistened in the air, with millions in attendance enjoying this beautiful, crisp, autumn, New England day!

After that, I had lunch with a very good friend at a Brazilian restaurant and we were able to catch up on each other’s latest adventures and make some new ones!

Then, to top off this Saturday from Eden, I patronized a Finnish Sauna for the first time and WAS IT FANTASTIC! This secluded heaven on earth is located in a remote New England village at the end of a winding dirt road, behind a cabin, up a walking path and set on a lake with a perfect view of the sunset. This sauna does not heat up to a mere 150ish degrees, but regulates a steady 200 – 220 degrees of sunshinesque warmth. Admittedly, not for the faint of heart, the sauna takes some getting used to. After basking in the heat, it's time for a dip in the lake. The lake is a wee bit cold in early November, but after about fifteen minutes in the sauna, it’s a welcome respite. So the Finish rotate back and forth between the lake and the sauna for a couple of hours, responding to how their bodies dictate.

After the first few cycles, my body felt so relaxed and at peace. I easily could have fallen asleep there! Next, we went to a nice restaurant and ate some Shepard’s Pie – that my mother would have called Goulash, and it sure was delicious!

Afterward, I went to sleep in a real bed - not a couch as I had been sleeping on for the past few weeks - at my new home, the Roof Deck House!

What a day!

Of Things That Matter Most*

Blogging is an experiment for me. I'm normally a very private person, but I occasionally enjoy stepping out of my comfort zone. Take last night, for example, when I dressed up as MC Hammer, and attended a Halloween Charity Dance Party in Boston that ended up just being an excuse for many attendees to get drunk and grind on each other.** Aside from the aforementioned indecorum, it was fun to dance and enjoy the night in a church packed full of a few hundred potential friends.

On to the blogging! This is fun. I can write whatever I want and it'll go directly to the blogosphere and be a part of that permanent trove of information that constitutes the internet. So I guess I'd better use a modicum of discretion as to what I share.

I think I'll start with what's most important to me: What Matters Most. Anyone that knows me reasonably well knows that there are a few simple and basic things that make me, me. This one's a serious post about the most important things in life:

I've realized that when it is all said and done that few things really matter: love, family, friends, relationships, the way we treat each other, the way we think about ourselves. My priorities in life are really very simple and in the following order: 1) God, 2) Family, 3) Friends, and 4) Everything else including work - just don't tell my boss. Notice money - while important and even necessary - did not make the list because it's not a priority on its own merit, but instead is simply a means to an end of achieving real priorities.

It's difficult to put into words what God - Heavenly Father - means to me. He's been the one true constant throughout my life - even when I wasn't aware. During my happiest moments and throughout my trials, He's always been there with me and always will be. I have unmistakably felt this through His spirit and have "thereby heard his voice and know his word."*** Insular critics will forever dispute for one reason or another the existence of God, our relationship with Him, His care, concern and love and design for us. As for me, when I see a newborn, the ocean, a sunset, or feel a tender heartfelt expression of love, I stand in awe of His magnificence and am reminded of how little I actually know compared to His omniscience and omnipotence. His creations, infinite love, and just one word from His lips when compared with human understanding and achievements as great and miraculous as they are, "strikes it all into insignificance."**** Since God loves me, I have decided to love him and put him first and make following his Son, Jesus Christ my first priority in life. I believe that Jesus restored his church through a prophet, Joseph Smith, in 1830, in upstate New York. It is for this reason that I am a Mormon - a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is Christ's church and gives me great joy in giving service to God's children both inside and outside of the church.

My family is a tremendous source of immense joy and personal satisfaction. Family is so so important to me! My mother, father, brothers, grandparents, cousins, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephew... are amazing! My family has always been there for me. They have to be - they're my family! And I want to be there for them. I want to make my parents proud of me and have fun with my brothers and play with their children and have children of my own someday.

I appreciate my true friends that take the time to know me and anyone that has read down this far can certainly be considered a true friend. Although during the last three years that I buried myself in Law School books and only sporadically emerged to engage in social activities, I greatly value all of my friendships with people of all religious persuasions, nationalities, and political persuasions, new and old friends alike!

Some other things that are near to my heart are learning, working, reading, exploring, adventuring, singing, dancing, pondering, writing, music, game playing, sports, and art.

*With credit for this title of this post to a magnificent sermon on the same subject by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. See http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/of-things-that-matter-most.
**For the record, I neither consumed alcohol nor inappropriately danced.
***Bruce R. McConkie, The Purifying Power of Gethsemane, available at http://www.lds.org/ensign/1985/05/the-purifying-power-of-gethsemane.
****Oliver Cowdry, Joseph Smith History, available at http://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1.