The Healing Power of Music

            The expression is often misquoted as " Music has charms to soothe a savage beast"  from Playwright/Poet William Congreve's The Mourning Bride, 1697.  The power of music has been recognized to such that we now have certified music therapists.  Did you know that simply handing a teenager a CD has healing powers as well?

     The first Friday of every month is YouthQuake Live.  All three of my kids have been cast members over the last 4 years.  In all honesty we do not attend every show for a number of reasons. First off it is by teens  for teens ~ In other words it is very very loud with music and skits that appeal primarily to teens.  Secondly very often they overfill the venue so seating is usually limited and should be available for the kids. Thirdly until Meg joined the cast Patrick and Emily were never on stage as they were on the Tech Team and kept telling us to not come.  However whenever Meg is on stage we are always there. 

     This past month her team was featured in a video.  She told us we didn't need to be there as we could see the video on line.   I was quite surprised when my phone went off just 30 minutes after the show had started.  "Mom, I'm with the nurse I hurt my knee!"  What? How? She was part of the dance team that got the audience excited at the beginning of the show. The nurse gets on the phone and he believes she has dislocated her knee. Of course this is the month that Patrick wasn't there as his NJROTC team was in Pensacola, FL for National Competition.  Meg wants to stay for the rest of show, claiming that she's fine in a wheelchair with ice on her knee.  I'm walking out the door.

     Ever notice how you are aware of every traffic light and car in your lane when you're trying to get to a hurt child?  I just dropped her off 4 hours earlier and knew exactly how long the ride was.  How is it that the 30 minutes now felt like an eternity?  Why does everything seem farther in the dark?

     By the time we arrive she is surrounded by cast members and adults as she's now in serious pain and the tears are flowing.   On top of being hurt she is also upset as she realizes she can't go to her Bible Study's Beach Party the next day.  With her knee swollen we settle her in the van and head home.   All I want to do is make her feel better NOW; do you want a drink or snack on the ride home?  Then it hits me, I know how to heal her pain, well ok at least distract her from the pain...  I hand her a CD that I purchased over a week ago and left hidden in the van.  Her sobs of pain turn instantly to squeals of joy.  If you haven't heard a teenage girl squeal over a boy band it is something your ear drums will never forget, so consider yourself lucky.

     Remember how I said the ride to get her seemed long ~ well the return ride listening to her One Direction CD seemed even longer.  I'll admit though I preferred hearing her sing along to the CD then cry.  The healing power of music gotta love it!

YQL Sept 2010 Meg dancing for  OutCast

     Thankfully the Orthopedist said she didn't locate her knee but horribly overstretched the ligaments.  She is currently in a knee brace and starting 6 weeks of physical therapy.  She will not be dancing in the May Show.