Music of the heart.

Last night Autumn and I had our last “Music Together” class for the next couple of months. If you don’t know, “Music Together” is a music curriculum for young children ages 0-5 (at least for our class here in Northfield.) It’s a class where I see my young daughter thrive.

Scratch that. It a class where I see ALL children thrive.

We started going to music class when River was probably a year and a half. He, being the boy that he is he began music class with gusto. For the many years he was involved, he would love going to class but only sometimes “participate.” Much of he time he would run around and play while I would stand there, look like a dork singing and doing all the actions while it seemed that he wasn’t paying any attention.

But I was wrong.

Music became the expression of River’s soul. I don’t know if this will carry on in his life, but my 6 year old boy loves to rhyme, sing (quietly now) and dance like there is a party going on at any given moment. He loves it when I sing, and you can just see that his body belongs to music like a fish belongs in water. It is beautiful.

Autumn is the same. My favorite music moment actually came with her not during a music class, but during one of our summer outings a few months ago. We were enjoying our local pizza farm where there was a band playing. I let her wander over and watch the band for a little while, and when she got closer she started dancing.  As she closed her eyes and let the rhythm take her, you could see how music just whisks her away/envelops her like a blanket. Her joy made many a person smile that night.

My daughter, the hippie music child.

Music is something that has always been an important part of my life. My dad and brother were great on the guitar and loved to sing. My mom and I on the other hand just enjoyed singing along to whatever song was playing at the time. One of my greatest pleasures of going home today is knowing that if my dad is around that there will be a mix of the Beatles, John Denver and Taylor Swift heard wherever I go. I love it.

I love what “Music Together” classes have given my kids. I love that they find such joy in a simple thing. But what I really love is when they sing, and run, and dance to the rhythm of a beat- and think of nothing else in the world but the happiness they feel in their heart.

Gosh, being a mom rocks.