Supposedly, the sense that is the most evocative of memory is smell. And I can attest that sometimes that is true. The scent of chalkdust and newly sharpened pencils definitely takes me back to grade school.
But I think that hearing might be a contender for top memory honors as well. Specifically when related to hearing music. In fact, listening to music from our past may even open up time travel.
Case in point: Theresa Venus and I (along with spouses and friends) attended an Elton John concert the other night. And suddenly, while dancing and singing along to songs we knew by heart, we were 17 again. Okay, it was really dark, so that helped the illusion.
Still, the years just fell away as the sunset faded into twilight and the full moon made its entrance. Flooded with happy nostalgia, we slipped into that youthful experience of pure, rocking joy in the moment, needing nothing more, feeling the promise of life stretching out ahead of us.
Just like now. Our life stretches out ahead of us – at least the second half of it. And remembering will keep us vibrant and alive. Youth may be wasted on the young, but if we tap into it, it won’t be wasted on us menopause goddesses as we leap into our second childhood.
So, in the title I quote two of my favorite (and apropos) Elton John songs. I say them as a mantra: The Bitch is Back. And I’m Still Standing. And dancing, and singing, and laughing out loud. I’m fifty fifteen and ready for rock and roll. Join me!
Click the link for a little taste of the magic:
Twitter
Linked In
Facebook
Like Us
And while you are at it, pull out those air guitars and piano keys. Pure heartfelt bliss. The sunset didn’t hurt either.
My fave Elton John album is “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy”. I know every note and lyric to that album (and most of the others). “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” used to really get me as a teenager, but now I love the classics: “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Honky Cat”, and “Tiny Dancer” (to name a few).
Kat
Yes. i can relate to that. When my spouse and hear music from the 70`s and 80`s begin to feel young as well. Of course we still can dance as teen agers. At least we think so. When we saw the Jimmy Buffett concert, the years just fell away. Since life is short, musc , dancing and laughter should be the number one priority for a happy life.
every year in oct. we have a canoe race on our island only for the “masters”. race beings at 10:30am, and the partying begins at 12 noon with lunch, drinking and dancing to “our music, in our style”, and as a group were all transported to our youth!!!!! ah, truly youth is wasted on the young! rae
Wow! You got that sunset AND Elton AND a full moon? It’s not fair! I guess Tahoe really is a vortex. I think Elton is inspirational not just for his fabulous musical gifts, and his joie de vive, but his humble appreciation and the transitions he went through from superstar to drug addicted monster to happy generous giving performer. I saw him in Singapore 20 years ago and he was wonderful. But the indoor venue was certainly not this spectacular! P.S. would love to be a participant in Rae’s joy in canoe races. Also I recognized the Auntie in Dewitts recent photo blog. Too lovely. We all need to do more of the things that bring us pure joy. I have put yoga on my work schedule and am now going 3 days a week. I swear I am getting to a higher plane. I am able to have so much more of a positive presence w/ my patients! As a way too type A person, I find that yoga is becoming my spiritual/physical path to a better person.