Memorably Mine

There are certain events that happen in life that's accompanied by a song. When you had your first kiss, if there was a song, what was the song that was playing? I know mine :). I think many of us have break up songs, a certain song that comforts or saddens during those hard times. I had mine. Music helps us celebrate and feel a certain emotion. It helps us cry when we can't, lightens our troubled mind, calms us when we're disturbed and inspires us when we need inspiration.

I was just listening to 'Are You Lonesome Tonight?' by the legendary Elvis Presley and one of my favourite artists of all time. I had a flashback of a certain memory. It happened when I was about 9 years old when dad called my mum from the public phone to inform that his car broke down. It was not common for someone to have a mobile phone then. I remember it was raining cats and dogs with thunder. A few hours later he was not back and I was beginning to get worried. We looked out of the window when we heard a car pass by but it seemed not to be him all the time. When he finally appeared, this song played and he stepped in the house soaking wet and I gave him my tightest hug.

When I broke up with my first love, I was 16 then and I kept pretending that I was fine and kept a lot to myself. I didn't want anyone feeling sorry for me cos I thought it would be harder. A good friend of mine called me when he learned of the break up to check on me. I refused to let him know I was not OK and I felt even vulnerable when he actually showed that he cared. Eventually, he told me to just listen to a song that he was gonna play on the piano for me and I obliged. The moment he played 'The Power of You Love', there were tears streaming down my face. That was the sweetest thing he has done for me cos I felt better after that.

Then there was this particular song my late uncle used to play on his black record. I was staying with his family in the army base and 5 of us cousins shared a room. So being an army man, he had rules on lights off and we will all lie down on our beds and talk and sing to the songs that he played. So the song went like "Last night, I heard my mama singing a song Ooh-We, Chirpy, Chirpy, Cheep, Cheep" and my cousin mistaken "Chirpy, Chirpy, Cheep, Cheep" for "Stupid, stupid, stupid". Being 5 years old, my sis and I sang along as "stupid, stupid" until one of my cousins stopped laughing and told us the exact words. It was pretty fun, us singing along in the dark.

Those memories accompanied by songs whether it's a sad one or a happy one just makes those moments more unforgettable and everytime you listen to those songs, you will always be reminded of those moments. Keep those songs close to your heart cos someday you may really need to listen to it once again. It is what your feelings sounds like...