One can always come up with a long list of things one loves to do or things one is stuck with. Both these happen only if there is absolute freedom. But once it happens, the resultant joy is unbelievable, almost making one feel on top of the world.
Right from childhood, the only thing one craves for perennially is freedom, be it something to do with playing, growing up, things to do, dreams and aspirations or relief from boredom, stress, pain, and more. Of course each of these find a way out in different ways, the end result being total liberty sans any restriction.
I am not a professional musician but my singing has given me everything in my life
I too had a long list of things which, if done or if rid of, would give me immense happiness and excitement. No matter how efficiently these were addressed, the list started growing endlessly as I grew up. With the learning of tricks of either finding solutions or handling issues, what is widely known as learning to live or putting up with, one tends to slowly give up the urge or yearning for freedom in life. This happens mostly when one struggles to cope with increasing responsibilities life throws at you.
Honestly, I had no answers for a long time as I was busy and immersed in the challenges of growing up and settling down in life. It is true, one cannot achieve or fulfill each and every desire in life which is the root cause of frustration many a time. To get out of this situation, one needs to find a way out, an outlet where one can express or vent all that is building up within. This is akin to a pressure cooker which can’t live without letting the steam out. Perhaps the need for this is what lays the foundation for one’s new found passion or some undesirable vices. It all depends on how wise one is!
What started as a little internal humming slowly developed into confident singing when alone, leading to singing confidently with like minded friends or groups.
I too travelled through all this before I found my lifetime companion in music. Music has already been defined in more than a hundred ways—it has no language, is a stress buster, best soother, the gateway to peace, the power of joy… all this is absolutely true but I never learnt singing. Singing fortunately just happened to me and probably this is the biggest strength of music.
What started as a little internal humming slowly developed into confident singing when alone, leading to singing confidently with like minded friends or groups. They were of similar wavelength who eventually went on to give me enough confidence to venture out with my singing expeditions resulting in innumerable benefits.
It all began with my seizing the first opportunity to perform at a huge event and there was no looking back. For me music slowly turned into one with supreme medicinal qualities and my constant singing became a launching pad for my various destinations. Just to name a few, I found the freedom to express myself, freedom to address issues, freedom to communicate, freedom to be alone with myself, freedom to meditate, freedom from everything I didn’t want in my life and the list is endless. I found the joy of music more in pathos, songs filled with feelings and softness, giving me a high which I think no intoxicant can offer.
However, the biggest contribution singing has made to me is to enable me to live with confidence, realise my capabilities, experience and enjoy nature at it’s best and to fill the silence surrounding me with melody.
When I talk of singing, it isn’t the music alone. Equally important are the lyrics which depict the mood of the singer and the situation one is in. Though music throws a limitless number of possibilities to express oneself, lyrics highlight love, despair, dislike, joy, apprehensions, mismatch, and many moods. A melody has the power to communicate a special mood or image of life.
For me, the journey of music in my life began with it’ surprise entry almost a couple of decades ago. I am not a professional musician but my singing has given me everything in my life. Though I have been singing with people around, I have found singing to myself when I am all alone best of all the moments life has thrown at me. I will not hesitate to bargain everything I possess for a few moments with myself on a seashore or a mountain top, singing my way to unparalleled moments of ecstasy and freedom!