Sing to the Heart

Yesterday was a rough day for me. Work was a bear (too much work, not enough staff, same old story...). My plantar fasciitis continues to bother me, despite 2 injections into my heel on Monday. My knee and hip, apparently jealous of my foot, continue to clamor for attention. For about a month now, until around 10:30 am every morning, my skin has sort of an irritable hypersensitive feeling, like a fresh scrape: a gift of my Fibromyalgia, I believe. On top of that, my stomach was in turmoil from a Cipro I was given to ward off infection after some medical testing. (Thank you for allowing me to complain. I'm done now.) I have been easily discouraged lately, with all this going on at once. Last night, I was given a gift that lifted my spirits, and sang directly to my heart. I am involved with a Jewish women's group that meets each month to celebrate Rosh Hodesh, the beginning of the Hebrew month. Last night was our final session of the year. As a special treat, we had a Jewish women's a cappella group from Pittsburgh, PA, Kol Shira. When I am down, one thing I know I can count on to bring me up is music, especially music I can sing along with, my first choice being Jewish music. This group was perfect, with both English and Hebrew, and the majority of songs familiar to me, along with some new ones to delight me. I sat on the floor, at times singing along, other times, I closed my eyes and allowed the music to wash over me, to flow around me and through me. One of the singers told us that she is a music therapist. I was in need of healing, and this music was my healer, my therapy.  I bought their CD, Speak to the Heart, because their music spoke to mine. Two songs they sang last night especially spoke to me, and both are on their CD. (Note: the links are for other groups singing these songs.) The first is called Hine Ba Hashalom, which means Here Comes the Peace. It was a popular Israeli pop song a few years back, is upbeat, with catchy lyrics and is fun to sing. The other song that hooked me was a song called Dig Down Deep. Here are part of the lyrics: 'I'm digging way down down to the bottom of my soul; I'm digging way down way down deep. I'm digging way down down to the bottom of my soul; There's clear water running through me....' My Sjogren's Syndrome body forgot about that water running through me. It sure was refreshing to find it again. Every time I have an experience like tonight, it hits me again just how powerful music can be. Music has been used for millennia for worship, communication and healing. Whether it is fast or slow, loud or soft, smooth or choppy, reverent or irreverent, vocal, instrumental, all or none of the above, there are few people who have never been touched by music. People with chronic pain and illness know all too well what discourages us. What re-courages you? What gets to the bottom of your soul and brings you peace?