Add Some Music...

Mondays...are they ever any good?  You know the lyrics:  "rainy days and Mondays always get me down" and "Monday, Monday; can't trust that day."  Unless it's a holiday, does anyone ever look forward to a Monday?

This past one was typical for me.  Rushing to get the boy to school; trying to gather everything together and not forget anything.  It was cold out and frost covered everything.  Including the garbage can handle that my hand froze to as I dragged it back after the trash men had come.

The boy and I get in the car and head down toward the school.  We are less than 1/2 mile away when fog appears.  I'd sunglasses on when I pulled out the driveway and now I can barely see 100 yards ahead.  This does not bode well from my commute.

I drop the boy off and make my way to work.  The fog comes and goes, making driving a bit challenging to say the least.  Sunglasses on...sunglasses off.  Traffic is pretty much at a standstill on Route 3.  This shouldn't be a surprise, but it is incredibly annoying as this Monday I have left the house early and usually traffic is a little less stressful before 8.  Obviously, this was not the case this morning.

As traffic crawls along, I turn on my Sirius XM radio to get the local traffic. (I could have used to the Waze app, but my phone was buried in my purse which was in the back seat of the car out of reach.)  I get the traffic report, but of course there is no mention of Rt. 3 (there rarely ever is).  So I have no idea why we are crawling.  So I switch to a music station, but I  get even more annoyed when I realize I CAN"T listen to Sirius XM when I get to work because the on line application is no longer working for us as the tech people there can't seem to figure out why.  (The problem, which started last Wednesday has been "escalated" but so far nothing has been resolved and I've been told it might take another 7-10 days which definitely doesn't make me a happy camper.  But this is a whole other story.)

I finally get to my exit and make my way to the back roads to get to the office.  Of course there is a parade of cars as I want to turn left.  I am so close to my destination, and yet so far.  Logically, I know that none of this should bother me, but it's Monday.  And I am feeling steam come out the top of my head.  I just want to get to work!

And then one of my favorite songs comes on:  "Beautiful Night" by Paul McCartney.  And everything changes.  I turn the volume up.  I start to sing along.  My toe is actually tapping.  I pull into a parking spot (a really good parking spot.)  I turn off the engine, but the song is still playing and I am NOT getting of the car until the song is over.

I wouldn't have sat there (most likely) if it had been another McCartney song.  Yes, I am a huge Beatles fan and a HUGE McCartney fan, but this is one of THE songs for me.  If the song had come out (officially) earlier, it probably would have ended up being my wedding song.  (Sorry "Love Will Keep Us Alive.")  There is just something about the lyrics and the soaring horns! (NEVER underestimate the power of a George Martin orchestration; the man had an incredible talent for making a good song better and a great song, AMAZING!)  As the tempo changes, I turned the volume up even more and I am singing at the top of my lungs in the parking lot.

My whole attitude has changed based on this one song.  And that it just randomly popped up on the station at the time when I needed it is a blessing.  (Thank you Chris Carter?).

When the song ends, I exit the car and am ready to start my day with a smile on my face.

Do not underestimate the power of music.  As the Beach Boys so brilliantly sang (and this is another one of my favorite songs): "Your doctor knows it keeps you calm.  Your preacher adds it to his psalms. So add some music to your day.”