When I listening to music, I usually start with a genre, artist, or specific album. Sometimes whimsical, other times intentionally aligning to my mood and the atmosphere around me. Recently I decided to take a different approach; the choice was “shuffle all”.
I know the meaning of “shuffle all” is obvious but what I forgot was how many songs were being shuffled! On my notebook there are more than 18,500 songs and on my iPhone there more than 4,000. As a result, with no idea what is coming next, I have been taken through music to places, experiences, and people memories that I have not thought about for years.
Several reminders have emerged.
The reasons we love does not seem to change with time. My taste in music continues to evolve however songs that I loved intensely when I first acquired the music I still love! The surprising joy that comes from deep within makes me wonder why several songs dropped off my go-to playlist. My desire to remember, stay current, and continue to enjoy has been reawakened.
With many of the forgotten songs, when hearing I am taken to a specific place and time when I first heard the music. I find myself smiling and at times laughing to myself in the process. There are exceptions! Several songs are wonderfully familiar but have zero reference points. I have no idea when or where. The only clue is the age of the album but this still does not help resolve every gap. The psalmist’s reminder has now become one that is personal; With each discover, I want to “write this down for the next generation so people not yet born will praise God:” (Psalm 102.18)
In listening, remembering, and reflecting, I am reminded of my heart’s deepest values and priorities. The process realigns my view of the present. It opens new ways of looking at how I want to use the freedom I have within me. I do not know if I always “shuffle all”, however it is now a regular part of my new routine.
