The Power of Music

Mama Gloria, our 93-year-old neighbor held my hand as we prayed yesterday. Her left foot was perched on a small bench and is swollen after a fall a week ago that sprained her ankle. When all the praying and singing and petitions were over, I grabbed my guitar and sat next to her again - and I started singing old Tagalog songs and she started singing with me. She still remembered the words and the smile on her face was so beautiful that there was that visible glow. Her daughter, upon noticing how happy she was started giving her more food and she ate with gusto as she listened and hummed with me. I sang some old "harana" songs which reminded her of her youth as men serenaded her in courtship. She was happy, all of the people there were either singing with us or smiling with us, and so I continued strumming along from harana to Filipino folks songs to just some funny songs, until I had to leave for another commitment.

A few of years ago while I was visiting my relatives in Monterey, I was singing to little Mya while I held her. I sang songs I heard from my mother as she cradled my youngest sister and later on her grandchildren to sleep. Tia Miling suddenly stood up and joined me in singing and dancing with Mya. My cousins (her children) were surprised as they have not seen their mother do that - ever! Sing and dance!

When Tia Miling had a seizure in 2009, I rushed to see her in the hospital. She was speaking uncoherently, did not recognize some of her children and grandchildren but she knew me and heard me when I came and whispered to her. I talked to her in Tagalog, hummed a few melodies to her and joked with her. I came because we thought we were losing her - but she fought back and eventually was discharged to rehab and then home. I bought her an MP3 loaded with Filipino folk songs when I came back to visit again. It made her really happy to listen to them. The melodies took her back home.

Music has an amazing healing power. It soothes and reinvigorates. To children who need the assurance of love and to old people who long for comfort, music is an elixir that no drugs could ever match.

And so I continue to sing and to play, despite the imperfections of my voice and musical skills because when music comes from the heart, the imperfections disappear in the background - only love - through music - comes through.