Music is an integral component of my life. I enjoy everything from classical to jazz, country to hip-hop, heavy metal, alternative, new age, folk, rap. If it has a steady rhythm, my toes tap, my body sways, and emotions bubble to the surface. In most cases, if you hum a few notes, I can name the tune. I only attempt to sing if I know I am alone.

Every road trip requires a soundtrack, and even a quick jaunt to the grocery store can’t happen without a song blaring on the radio. Cleaning my house is effortless when the music plays. Movies would be less dramatic. We wouldn’t have a reason to dance, and if there were no soothing lullabies, babies would have to cry themselves to sleep. My morning walks would be unbearable without a measured beat to move my feet. They design playlists to help you achieve a 20-minute mile, a 15-minute mile, or any combination you can imagine. Without songs pushing me forward, I would find a shortcut home.

But when music becomes magical for me is when I am writing. If I am staring at a blank page, it is easy to pick a lyric, a few words and use them as my starting point. When the house is loud and disruptive, and I need to concentrate, the tunes I pump through my headphones become white noise. I hear my thoughts and words flow onto the page. Music rescues me again as I search for just the right word. It never fails. The lead vocalist provides the word or phrase I need to make my sentence sing.

What is your favorite music?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer