Music is Important as It Brings People Together

Easter 2022 was this weekend and Christians globally celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ with church services, an end to the 40 day fast of Lent, and the beginning of the post-Easter 40 days of Pentecost. Easter is led up to and followed after by observance of important spiritual practices. Easter Weekend is not only the highest Christian religious observance but in many countries in the west has become a restful weekend "sometime in the spring" to take time off and pause to consider life. With that, many people have days on either side of a weekend which is an unusual break setup and, although over commercialized in the United States, Easter weekend can bring a pause to the rush into the end of the school year.

As with any break, we have the opportunity to consider how we are living and make corrections to our schedule, mentality, attitude, and orientation towards life. When we come together with family and friends we might become aware of our underlying histories, differences, methods, or lifestyles that challenge us. After that initial period of reconciling everything to my our own mindset, occasionally there comes a thought about change. After the thought of wishing “they would change” could come a moment of self-doubt.

Music is there for that reflection.

Music does bring us together in the special occasions. Our family listened to a calm playlist all afternoon and turned to reminiscent music as the day wore on. We attended our oldest son’s regular Sunday night concert on Easter night and were greeted by a full house of dancing young people visiting our city and “our club.” The joy was effervescent. Memphis music for a visiting crowd of 40 or so people living in the moment. Followed by the regular show of funk, soul, rock, and jazz. FreeWorld, a band for nearly 40 years, played a show to family, those alone on a Sunday night, and regulars. Music brought us here together again in this decidedly non-religious space for a spiritual reflection of life in the music and company of friends - and family.

In the photograph is one son, one decades long friend, one Visible alumni from 2000, and dear friends around music - together.