- You're old when you stop doing the things you did when you were young...
- You're as old as you act
- Age is a state of mind
On and on it goes, but you get the point.
So now I am "older" and actually still agree with most of these. Even though I am a dedicated believer and spokesperson for "mind over matter" theories, I cannot deny or overcome the physical effects of aging.
For example, considering the first bullet point above, throughout most of my life, I've been a sports fanatic. Not necessarily watching (especially when I was a child), but always playing. Touch football, wiffle ball, kill the man with the ball, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, tackle football, tennis, golf, street hockey, ice hockey, you name it. Even in my adult years, well after high school and college, I participated in mens' baseball, basketball, street hockey, fast pitch softball, and even "rough touch" football leagues. I haven't been involved in any of these in quite some time. However, when I do play any of these today, I don't feel 25. I'm not refuting bullet point #1, just looking at it in a more complete way. There is a difference between doing things you did in your youth and feeling youthful.
Because of this, I am fascinated by the feeling I get when I hear a song from years past. A wave of agelessness comes over me. It seldom matters what I'm doing that particular moment. The music triggers such an amazing feeling of euphoria. Not only do I recall the feelings and emotions of long ago, but I actually, physically FEEL YOUNGER.
It's really hard to describe. Smell is a very powerful sense. When you smell something you love, perhaps a favorite food, it's extremely pleasing. You can almost taste it. It also, usually, makes you feel hungry.
I would not think the sense of hearing could be equally as powerful, but perhaps it's the most powerful. Pavlov's dog was really onto something. He didn't smell the food, he didn't see the food, he heard the bell. I wasn't doing anything I did in my youth, I heard a song. Come to think of it, when I see an old photo, it's more of a melancholy feeling rather than one of happiness.
If I were a brain function researcher, I would begin a project focusing on what areas of the brain hearing a song awakens.
For some reason, the effects are greater when the song is unexpected. The next time an old favorite of yours comes on, try to identify the way it make you feel. See if music is your Fountain of Youth too...
I have a theory on the music that stays with us, as you describe. It goes as this.
ReplyDeleteWe all "discover" music sometime in our teens. THOSE years, music defines us. We stay paying attention to music up through the birth of our first kid (if we have kids) or whenever our career takes over our lives - or both.
Our musical knowledge is then sort of frozen during that time frame. So, for me, it was The Beatles thru Disco. I missed the 80's, 90's and since...except to some degree learning and hearing music through my kids.
Who is Lady Gaga, btw?
I see what you mean, Bruce. The song I heard was from my teenage years. (Iron Maiden if you must know!). As I think about it, the music going into my 20's and 30's still carries a lot of weight, however I can see how the impact tends to dissipate. Without question my teens and early 20's have the most volume (P.A.I.). In my case, likely because those were the carefree years.
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