The connection of homelessness, music and gratitude
Imagine you're living in a homeless shelter. You're staying with three dozen other people. Three dozens other strangers. It's not a normal way to live. It's easy to find yourself depressed and in a state of despair. It's hard to find a lot of positives. It's hard to be grateful.
Yet it always amazes me that these people show gratitude. There's always something...even if it's a small thing. Maybe holding on to that one thing is what a person needs to get by...to survive.
I lived that life for a couple of years. I remember how much music made me feel better. So many times my Ipod was one of my best friends. It gave me hope during times that were unimaginably painful.
I started thinking if it worked for me, maybe others were doing the same thing. It was the beginning of a music and gratitude class.
Every Monday, I head to the shelter and we play songs that make people feel good. Songs that talk about their lives. Songs that lift their spirits. Songs that remind them to be grateful. And then we talk about the songs.
It's pretty interesting what music makes people happy. In the three sessions, we've played music of all genres. Rock, blues, jazz and rap. We've talked about Muddy Waters, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Prince, The Beatles and Eminem.
When I played Joe Walsh's "One Day At A Time", I could see their heads nodding along with the music. It wasn't just the ones dealing with addiction; others could imagine making their own lives better and trying to do that one day at a time. There are different ways to relate to music. There are different interpretations depending on your situation. You could see it there.
It was shocking to listen to the brash lyrics of Eminem's "Soldier" especially when it followed Alvin and the Chipmunks singing "You Had A Bad Day."
When someone brought up Motown, I told them a story I heard at a recent Smokey Robinson concert. A fan asked Smokey what he does when he hears one of his songs on the radio. He thought Smokey might be a little jaded after all these years. Nope
I turn it up...loud! After all these years, I'm so grateful that people still want to play my music. After all these years, I'm so grateful people still want to listen to my music. After all these years, I'm so grateful that people like you want to come and watch me perform my music for you.
As I told that story there was more head nodding. They got it. They live with music and gratitude.
This piece is part of the Faces of Homelessness series.
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