I Love Music!

I love music. It has always been a part of my life as far back as I can remember. I recall one Christmas morning back in 1967 when I woke up and strolled downstairs to discover a very special gift to me from Santa. It was a small, shiny brown, little plastic Emenee electric organ with sixteen beige keys and eleven black ones. There it sat under the tree, reflecting the blinking lights that were hanging from the limbs. I was overjoyed.
And that’s how it all started. I would play every chance I had and mimicked all the songs I heard. It was fun to make up melodies and play my new songs to my mom. She would smile and listen as to bring pleasure to her ears and harmony to her heart.
It wasn’t until later in years that I found out she had saved all her money to buy that little organ on a very special Christmas Day. I think she seen music in my heart and a song in my step, even at a young age. As I grew, so did my musical talent. On my 10th or 11th birthday, mom did it again. She saved her money and surprised me with a beautiful two-tiered, Wurlitzer, multi-matic percussion organ along with six months of lessons. To this day, I remember the old store named ‘Jarwoskis Organs’ on main street in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Every other Thursday I would go into Jarwoskis, walk down a flight of creaky wooden steps, down the hallway to the second room on the left where my teacher would be sitting on the organ bench waiting for me to play my lesson. At the end of six months, there was no money for additional lessons but that was ok. Through the years I played and played.
I didn’t realize how much joy my mom got out of seeing/listening to me play music on the organ along with hearing my songs until I was in my early thirties. Married with children and busy with my life, I always managed to practice and play Christmas songs every year. Mom came to spend the holidays with us. I could recall how she sat and tearfully listened to my playing. Mom Proud! Much joy filled her heart to see her baby girl so happy. I would start in October and play all the way through until January. My children now are in their 30’s and every one of them has the memory of me playing the organ. The joke is that I drove them crazy for years with Christmas songs and how they know every single one of them. But that’s what moms do. Make memories.
I love music. I thank God for my gift of music. In biblical times the culture was filled with music where people used it in their daily lives. Music was and is capable of expressing a great variety of moods and feelings of joy and sorrow, hope and fear, faith and doubt. Every shade and quality of sentiment are found in songs and music. When I play the organ, I remember and thank my mom for her encouragement and sacrifices.
When I play the organ, I play for God. I know He loves me, and He is filled with joy because He sees my heart and I love Him.
Judy Mann 5/29/19