Thoughts on children, and music.
Okay, so first, children. A discussion I had with a very frustrating individual had me thinking about why... WHY do we learn so much from children? The first and obvious answer is that they are quite clear of negative thoughts that we develop as we get older, and the second obvious factor is that they think with such tender simplicity that we often neglect in our "complex" thoughts.
However, I felt, there MUST be more than that. Perhaps I myself am overcomplicating things? hahaha but I thought about who it is we learn the most from.. and it tends to be the people who constantly learn and are willing to learn and absorb everything and churn it out in its bare facts and with pure honesty, and with a peculiar certainty that is hard to find. And, essentially, that is what children do. Children are ever learning, ever absorbing, ever spitting things back out with brutal, serious honesty. And we learn, because us "grown-ups" seem to never want to learn when we should, and fall silent or "beat around the bush" on things that ought to be said straightforwardly.
There's a reason God loves children... for more than the fact that they're children.
As for music, I started reading an article today about how our brains respond to music, why we turn it up for "adrenaline" and pick music to either change or fit our mood, etc. And I mean.. is this really so "profound"?
Indeed, why do we attribute slow, melancholy music to a sort of sad feeling, and lively upbeat music to merriment? Why is there no real variation of this, when you think of it? If you subtract lyrics from songs so that all you have is music, and you think about this, it is true. But why? Why is it that no matter where the music comes from, and no matter who listens to it.. we tend to all make relatively similar emotional associations with certain melodies and beats? I mean music is so universal in its ability to touch the soul that it's quite miraculous when you think about it, it's the universal language of connection.
In truth, I think that if we were to be able to see our spirits (or souls, or whatever else you want to name it), it would be an ever-changing, never-ending piece of music, and that people who make music (not lyrics, cuz that's different, but just the music aspect), long to connect to the soul and strive to unlock the music contained, and to interpret the language within. It's why people often write music to express their life or emotions or whatever else.
It's also why I don't like certain songs, and why I tend not to enjoy rap/hip-hop music, because I feel who I am deep inside does not meet the same.. "wavelength" as those types of music. My soul resonates most deeply with classical music, and songs with gentle, melodic.. harmonic music (think Kate Havnevik, Josh Groban, BT's "This Binary Universe" album, etc). Of course, on a different level my soul enjoys rock, jazz, electronica, and many many other types of music.
It's also why I tend to believe in listening to as much positive music as possible.. and by positive I mean in the message it sends, and the way the melody affects me. Music is not "just music" and lyrics are not "just words".. there is something far deeper. After all, if music can inspire, who says it cannot have the opposite effect?
It's interesting to note, for those of you who don't know, that Lucifer before being "fallen" was an angel who was made of musical instruments (described as containing some sort of "pipes" and some type of percussion), which meant Lucifer was likely created as a literal instrument of worship to God, and would also add to the significance of why music affects us so strongly, whether for good or for bad. Just a little thing I read.. source found here. Makes for an interesting read. :)
However, I felt, there MUST be more than that. Perhaps I myself am overcomplicating things? hahaha but I thought about who it is we learn the most from.. and it tends to be the people who constantly learn and are willing to learn and absorb everything and churn it out in its bare facts and with pure honesty, and with a peculiar certainty that is hard to find. And, essentially, that is what children do. Children are ever learning, ever absorbing, ever spitting things back out with brutal, serious honesty. And we learn, because us "grown-ups" seem to never want to learn when we should, and fall silent or "beat around the bush" on things that ought to be said straightforwardly.
There's a reason God loves children... for more than the fact that they're children.
As for music, I started reading an article today about how our brains respond to music, why we turn it up for "adrenaline" and pick music to either change or fit our mood, etc. And I mean.. is this really so "profound"?
Indeed, why do we attribute slow, melancholy music to a sort of sad feeling, and lively upbeat music to merriment? Why is there no real variation of this, when you think of it? If you subtract lyrics from songs so that all you have is music, and you think about this, it is true. But why? Why is it that no matter where the music comes from, and no matter who listens to it.. we tend to all make relatively similar emotional associations with certain melodies and beats? I mean music is so universal in its ability to touch the soul that it's quite miraculous when you think about it, it's the universal language of connection.
In truth, I think that if we were to be able to see our spirits (or souls, or whatever else you want to name it), it would be an ever-changing, never-ending piece of music, and that people who make music (not lyrics, cuz that's different, but just the music aspect), long to connect to the soul and strive to unlock the music contained, and to interpret the language within. It's why people often write music to express their life or emotions or whatever else.
It's also why I don't like certain songs, and why I tend not to enjoy rap/hip-hop music, because I feel who I am deep inside does not meet the same.. "wavelength" as those types of music. My soul resonates most deeply with classical music, and songs with gentle, melodic.. harmonic music (think Kate Havnevik, Josh Groban, BT's "This Binary Universe" album, etc). Of course, on a different level my soul enjoys rock, jazz, electronica, and many many other types of music.
It's also why I tend to believe in listening to as much positive music as possible.. and by positive I mean in the message it sends, and the way the melody affects me. Music is not "just music" and lyrics are not "just words".. there is something far deeper. After all, if music can inspire, who says it cannot have the opposite effect?
It's interesting to note, for those of you who don't know, that Lucifer before being "fallen" was an angel who was made of musical instruments (described as containing some sort of "pipes" and some type of percussion), which meant Lucifer was likely created as a literal instrument of worship to God, and would also add to the significance of why music affects us so strongly, whether for good or for bad. Just a little thing I read.. source found here. Makes for an interesting read. :)