Articles - Music

The Best of Jamie's Column: Music

Music has always been a major part of who I am. Since I was kid I have always been drawn to it, and
grew up surrounded by the sounds of harmony and rhythm. My father was a singer and my Mom the
harmonizer and songwriter.

Do you sit by yourself and wonder what life is all about, if there's a purpose or a plan or does it happen by
chance? Do you ever think why things always turn out right no matter how bad? You'll find your way
again. I've learned how to keep it all together and now I know nothing else matters.

For love alone, I live my life and from this moment on I vow to never lose sight. If I ever doubt the reason
why I'm here, I'll start questioning my fears and know it's for love alone.

Time flies so fast. Live each day like it's the last; cherish what you have, when it's gone you can't go back.
Cause at the end of the day when we are face to face, I won't be afraid. I am glad to say, I've learned how to
keep it all together and now I know nothing else matters.

For love alone, I live my life and from this moment on I vow to never lose sight. If I ever doubt the reason
why I'm here, I'll start questioning my fears and know it's for love alone.

What I have inside, it will never die. For it's for love alone.

"For Love Alone"
Written by Cece Winans
Copyright 2001 Little pooky's music (BMI)

Music has always been a major part of who I am. Since I was kid I have always been drawn to it, and
grew up surrounded by the sounds of harmony and rhythm. My father was a singer and my Mom the
harmonizer and songwriter. Guess I was bound to have some of their melody woven into the fabric of
who I am. Music can reach the heart when and where words cannot. I have seen the healing power of
music open the hearts and minds of individuals whom others believed were unreachable. I believe that
music can open a door to healing that most people never take notice of. Having sat in many church
services growing up and even today where the sermon never touched my soul, it was the music that
called to my spirit. The flow of music in a room filled with hungry souls longing to make their connection
to God carries a vibration with it that can create change in the atmosphere around us. Songs such as
Amazing Grace, no matter what your spiritual affiliation may be, touches the hearts of people. There is
something magical about the melody of Amazing Grace that seems to flow so lovingly through ones
spirit. The song was actually written by a slave trader who lost a ship of slaves during a storm at sea. He
had ordered that all the slaves be chained below in the bowels of the ship. All were killed when the ship
went down that stormy night. The story tells that the slave trader never felt quite right about what he did
for a living, but it was his job. It had been his father's and now his, and he did it without question or
thought. He was grief stricken by what he had done to those innocent slaves, and on the deck of a ship
one night soon after he looked up into the night sky and called to heaven; it was then that he began to
pray. What came from that prayer that night on the deck of the sea-faring vessel was the famous song
we all know today as Amazing Grace. I never hear those words now that I don't remember the
wonderful story behind them. A man who was blind to his ways found his vision after tragedy. A man
who had been a cold-hearted slave trader found forgiveness and healing. I have seen groups of people
begin to sing the magnificent words, I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see and be
overcome with great emotion. I suppose we all have felt that way at one time or another, lost and
blinded by what we think is the truth for us. Believing that we have been forgotten and are unloved.

The words to the song mentioned in the beginning of this article, For Love Alone, have been a great
comfort for me these last few months. The song always touches me. Sometimes I play it and laugh at the
joy the reminder brings me, and other times I want to cry because I know I have forgotten the truth of
who I really am. I have forgotten that no matter how crazy life can seem, how hopeless I may feel, the
most important reason for being here is found in the words Cece Winans wrote.

For love alone I live my life, and from this moment on I vow to never lose sight. If I ever doubt the reason
why I'm here, I'll start questioning my fears and know it's for love alone.

Music can be healing to our spirit. It can bring us great joy and peace or it can allow us to feel emotions
we may have hidden deep within. I often will ask friends of mine to listen to a particular song and I
watch them as they do. Some can actually feel the message, hear the words and their meaning, while
others simply say "that's nice."

My friend David loves the music of Pink Floyd. I watch his expression as he plays their music and I can
see how much joy he gets from hearing it. I understand those feelings. When I hear Anita Baker sing or
Kenny G play his sax, when Whitney Houston sings the national anthem, or Della Reese sing the
opening theme to Touched By An Angel, I am moved by the beauty and power of music. Pink Floyd does
not call to my heart or leave me feeling inspired any more than my taste would call to my friend, but he
finds great pleasure from it and I know that it must be good for his soul. My other friend Lee loves Latin
music. She hears it and it calls to her spirit. She wants to move and dance, her face brightens and she
becomes even more alive when the music begins to play. It is a great reminder for me that God is
everywhere, in song, the warmth of the sun, the blades of grass we walk on in our bare feet, and in the
drops of rain that gently fall on the breeze blown leaves of a tree. Music is a great gift to us. It is a
powerful tool of healing and pleasure. Open your heart to song, to music and most of all to LOVE. Sing
and be in the moment. Sit back and listen to some music that will soothe your thirsty soul, take a deep
breath, and just relax. Open you heart and your ears. Spirit is there! Until next month, make a joyful
noise and keep spreading The Light!

Jamie Sanders is an ordained New Thought Minister, ordained through The Barbara King School of
Ministry in Atlanta, Georgia. He has been the producer and host of his own weekly television program,
"Positive Living" and is an active speaker, workshop facilitator and performer for Unity Churches,
retreats and other New Thought organizations. He is a featured columnist for "The Light" and
"Alternatives" magazine and currently resides in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. For more information on
available dates for speaking or for correspondence you can e-mail him at Jamie1118@aol.com, or visit
his web site at www.jamiesanders.com