For as long as I can remember, music and books have been my whole life. My entire world has been defined by them. Here’s why…

I grew up in the country, living just far enough away from everything. We had neighbors with kids my age; my best friend at the time lived two doors away. I wasn’t allowed to do very much though as my parents were really over-protective. I spent most of my time in my room reading books, watching tv and listening to music. When I wanted to see my friend two doors down, it took a lot of persuasion on my part to make that happen. Looking back, I understand why it was this way. I was the only daughter and the youngest child.

So my real friends were books, music and television. I had my own room, my own TV, any book I wanted to read and a stereo. Actually, it was a record player (does anyone know what that is anymore?!!) and a radio. The stereo came later.

Through the years, my taste in music changed from popular to rock to country to dance to jazz to classical to instrumental and back through all of them again and again. Today, I love it all. In fact, there are tunes that I am trying to remember from my childhood, and when I do remember that one song that has played over and over in my head, I’ve been known to search online for hours until I find it. Don’t you just hate it when that happens?!!

The first song I want to share with you is this one: “Me and Mrs. Jones“ by Billy Paul. Now you are probably wondering why someone of such young years was listening to this song. (It was released in 1972 and I was eight years old!) Well, the honest truth is that I liked the music. I don’t think I really comprehended what the lyrics were all about as I was such an innocent. My mom would have probably been horrified if she knew I liked this song at the time! But I did…the music was hypnotizing. Every time I hear it today, it reminds me of that time when I was oh so young…

Growing up, I never thought my mom and I had much in common, except for our love of shopping. Nevertheless, my parents were really good about not restricting us creatively. My brother loved rock and roll, but the weird stuff like Pink Floyd and Queen. As for me, well I was big into Stevie Nicks and Gloria Estefan. My mom and I actually bonded over a song sung by Stevie Nicks…but a “very special” one. In fact, it was on the album, “A Very Special Christmas”. A catchy little tune really called “Silent Night”.

My mom still loves this song to this day. I bought the album for her. Whenever I hear it now, I remember the night my mom told me how much she loved this song. It is something I will always treasure.

There is one more song I want to share…it’s very important to me because it was playing on the stereo one very special evening. It was the night my husband proposed to me. He actually made a whole tape of songs to play on the stereo that night. I still have that tape. Here it is…”Three Times a Lady”, by Lionel Richie.

These are three songs that are very important to me, as is the rest of my musical library. They are a part of my identity and have shaped me into the person that I have become. Tonight as I sit and write this, I have finally figured out why. These songs and many, many more opened up the door to my creative side. Without them, I would not be doing what I am doing now…living, learning and writing.

From Signature

***I have written this piece as a part of The Blog Hop for the group, The Writer’s Post. Join the hop and have some fun!***