Another Voice Silenced Too Soon
When I woke up this morning, I read the news that Tom Petty had died yesterday. I found this to be particularly sad, as he was a key member of a group that I really was into in my youth called the Travelling Wilburys. It got me thinking about the importance that music has in our lives and how this importance can effect our lives and our mental health.
Ask any person if they like music and you would be hard pressed to find anyone who says “No, I hate music”. They may not like a particular kind of music but at an intrinsic level at our core, we all have a love of music. Music can move us emotionally, it can make us feel elation and motivated, it can make us thoughtful and contemplative, it can make us weep for joy. This is a very powerful medium and should be utilised appropriately.
I will often ask my clients, as a homework task to listen to music at home or in the car that means something to them. Use that time to really feel the emotions that it elicits and recognise that emotions are your ally rather than your enemy. So today, I will spend some time between sessions listening to some old Tom Petty tunes and remembering the friendships of my youth when these songs were first released.
