I was thinking after I commented on your post, about my aunt who lived with Alzheimer's for over 30 years. Strong body. I remember in the early years her being very involved with the music activities at the home. She danced around the room like nobody's business, but couldn't remember who we were. Later when she had deteriorated quite a bit more, she still would roam the hallways humming loudly. To this day I smile thinking of her humming happily. Thanks again, Victoria. 💕
Hi Victoria, this is such an amazing collection of essays that highlight the importance of music and its profound meaning to each of the writers who responded to your invitation to share their music memories. I love this: "every year, we curate our own music time-stamped memories." I also love reading how your late father's favorite music genre -- classical music -- "appeased his troubled mind and broke the frustrations of vascular dementia." Not only that, listening to it together also brought you, the caregiver, a sense of relief and I believe, a deep, non-verbal connection with your dad. Thank you for your tribute to music and its power to connect people in some of the most challenging situations where words aren't even possible.
This is such a wonderful compilation, Victoria. One I’ll be dipping back into again to more fully explore all the wonderful resources and pieces of music you’ve shared. Thank you for including my piece as well.
Thanks to you, Shinjini! You opened up a whole new music realm in Substack for me to explore! I love it if you could subscribe. I connect people together when I can. I realised that this one article built a wave of heartfelt empathy! We need more of this type of connection.
Thanks for your work and contribution, Debbie. This offers a collective empathy wave of connection to anyone needing it. It helped me when I was bringing them together given some of the more difficult pieces I wrote earlier in the month: https://www.carermentor.com/p/resonance-for-caregivers-section It proves that collective empathy is a balm to individual pain
"collective empathy is a balm to individual pain." Interesting comment. Maybe that's partly what Behind Shoji Doors is. Sharing my experiences is balm for me (with the large majority of my subscribers being family and friends, who are more inclined to personal message me than leave a comment at the end of a post). Thanks for that link, will check it out. I'm gathering quite a reading list... 😂
I hear you, Debbie. You're expressing, and sharing your emotions, your experiences from 'Behind Shoji Doors'; you've opened the door, as a release as well as an invitation to others.
Thanks for the mention, Victoria, and thank you for collecting these stories. They add up to a compelling narrative about music’s therapeutic potential.
Thank you, Richard. Thank you for sharing your article. I feel the same way. I also feel that the flow and beauty of these pieces are testimony to our common humanity - unique, individual, and still connected, a core element of self-compassion. I'm looking forward to the next follow-up article and all from our Friday 16th Party!
Lovely piece, Victoria. Thanks so much for mentioning my work. You might enjoy the work of my friend Niamh Fahy (https://niamhfahy.substack.com/), a musician and music therapist who shares some work here on Substack as well.
Thanks, Matt! I have subscribed to both of your publications now. Tears filled my eyes listening to Endless Play. Innocence is visceral when there's such a lack of it in our everyday struggles and motions. It's a beautiful piece. Thanks for the recommendation.
In my restacked note, I proposed that you each write/compose a piece I could link to if that fits your content schedule. Or we can figure out how to highlight each other's work.
There are so many potential options! If you would like to, I'd welcome your subscription, and we could follow up via email. Thanks, Matt!
It's great to hear you have lots of collaborations! I'll look forward to listening to more compositions. No worries, I'm juggling a lot right now, with Mum & her care as #1. Glad we're connected now.
Thank you, Victoria, for this touching, beautiful reminder of the power of music to heal and transport us to the heart of what matters most. This post resonates deeply today today, as my heart longs for MORE SINGING. Thank you for including my story 🙏🏽
Thanks, Christine! Music moves my soul, and if I'm moving while I listen to great music everything feels better. Here's more music to keep your monkeys playing to leave you to sing. Andrea Faustini LOUD restored me, even if it made me cry sometimes first. https://www.carermentor.com/p/whats-your-anthem
I love the way you collated this beautiful reminder of the universal power of music. Thank you for including me and I am loving reading all of the articles!
Thanks, Tanmeet! I'm still imagining Bangra dance moves. I appreciate your support and your contribution to this work. I'm sure your piece will lift many hearts AND inspire people to watch more Bollywood movies for inspiration. Oh maybe that could be a new article do you have favourite films with dance moves you'd recommend to us? Save that thought ;-)
Hi Victoria. I wholeheartedly agree with Jeff Scott’s comment. We all need the magic of music in our lives. I am especially moved by this beautiful essay and the stories that bind us all together through unfortunate circumstances surrounding the effects of dementia.
Thank you for including me in your story and bringing to light the power of music. 💚
Thanks, Charlene. Definitely! Music is intertwined in my DNA ...probably pre-birth ;-) Thank you for your beautiful story. If you'd like to please subscribe to the publication so that we can stay connected.xo
Music has a way of melting our differences. I find it more a more meaningful as the years go by. I imagine if I ever suffer from dementia or something similar, music will still bring me joy.
Thanks for the mention, I might point out that just YESTERDAY I changed the name of the article you linked to, "Zone Out, Tune In, and Live the Adventure."
Jeff, would you consider subscribing so that we can stay connected? There will be follow-ups to this article and I'm considering options to leverage the power of music. Thanks!
Hi Jeff, THANKS!!! I've updated the title of the piece. I was going to write another note to recommend checking out 'Fog Chaser'. I'm enjoying his compositions. Who knew that there would be composers releasing new music on Substack! It makes me wonder about sharing some of my own
Lovely to revisit this a year later. Hooray for music and memory!
Yes, exactly Richard! I remember when…
It’s a timeless article.
This is simply a feel good post, Victoria, which who can't use right now. Thank you. 💕
Exactly, Sue! That Coco scene still makes me tear up!
I was thinking after I commented on your post, about my aunt who lived with Alzheimer's for over 30 years. Strong body. I remember in the early years her being very involved with the music activities at the home. She danced around the room like nobody's business, but couldn't remember who we were. Later when she had deteriorated quite a bit more, she still would roam the hallways humming loudly. To this day I smile thinking of her humming happily. Thanks again, Victoria. 💕
Awww that's a lovely memory to hold. Dancing to her own tune ;-) You're very welcome, Sue.
💕
Hi Victoria, this is such an amazing collection of essays that highlight the importance of music and its profound meaning to each of the writers who responded to your invitation to share their music memories. I love this: "every year, we curate our own music time-stamped memories." I also love reading how your late father's favorite music genre -- classical music -- "appeased his troubled mind and broke the frustrations of vascular dementia." Not only that, listening to it together also brought you, the caregiver, a sense of relief and I believe, a deep, non-verbal connection with your dad. Thank you for your tribute to music and its power to connect people in some of the most challenging situations where words aren't even possible.
This is such a wonderful compilation, Victoria. One I’ll be dipping back into again to more fully explore all the wonderful resources and pieces of music you’ve shared. Thank you for including my piece as well.
Thanks to you, Shinjini! You opened up a whole new music realm in Substack for me to explore! I love it if you could subscribe. I connect people together when I can. I realised that this one article built a wave of heartfelt empathy! We need more of this type of connection.
This is a wonderful compilation, Victoria. Thank you! Thanks for putting this together in one space.
Thanks for your work and contribution, Debbie. This offers a collective empathy wave of connection to anyone needing it. It helped me when I was bringing them together given some of the more difficult pieces I wrote earlier in the month: https://www.carermentor.com/p/resonance-for-caregivers-section It proves that collective empathy is a balm to individual pain
"collective empathy is a balm to individual pain." Interesting comment. Maybe that's partly what Behind Shoji Doors is. Sharing my experiences is balm for me (with the large majority of my subscribers being family and friends, who are more inclined to personal message me than leave a comment at the end of a post). Thanks for that link, will check it out. I'm gathering quite a reading list... 😂
I hear you, Debbie. You're expressing, and sharing your emotions, your experiences from 'Behind Shoji Doors'; you've opened the door, as a release as well as an invitation to others.
Thanks for the mention, Victoria, and thank you for collecting these stories. They add up to a compelling narrative about music’s therapeutic potential.
Thank you, Richard. Thank you for sharing your article. I feel the same way. I also feel that the flow and beauty of these pieces are testimony to our common humanity - unique, individual, and still connected, a core element of self-compassion. I'm looking forward to the next follow-up article and all from our Friday 16th Party!
Lovely piece, Victoria. Thanks so much for mentioning my work. You might enjoy the work of my friend Niamh Fahy (https://niamhfahy.substack.com/), a musician and music therapist who shares some work here on Substack as well.
Thanks, Matt! I have subscribed to both of your publications now. Tears filled my eyes listening to Endless Play. Innocence is visceral when there's such a lack of it in our everyday struggles and motions. It's a beautiful piece. Thanks for the recommendation.
In my restacked note, I proposed that you each write/compose a piece I could link to if that fits your content schedule. Or we can figure out how to highlight each other's work.
There are so many potential options! If you would like to, I'd welcome your subscription, and we could follow up via email. Thanks, Matt!
Thanks so much, Victoria! I'm pretty slammed with collaborations right now, but I will certainly keep it in mind for when things open up again.
It's great to hear you have lots of collaborations! I'll look forward to listening to more compositions. No worries, I'm juggling a lot right now, with Mum & her care as #1. Glad we're connected now.
Thank you, Victoria, for this touching, beautiful reminder of the power of music to heal and transport us to the heart of what matters most. This post resonates deeply today today, as my heart longs for MORE SINGING. Thank you for including my story 🙏🏽
Thanks, Christine! Music moves my soul, and if I'm moving while I listen to great music everything feels better. Here's more music to keep your monkeys playing to leave you to sing. Andrea Faustini LOUD restored me, even if it made me cry sometimes first. https://www.carermentor.com/p/whats-your-anthem
Thank you for the mention! I so appreciate it. The magic of the Beatles and music for lifting our spirit has no boundaries.
I agree, Kristina! The Beatles are timeless. They've a special category on their own, just like Abba ;-)
I love the way you collated this beautiful reminder of the universal power of music. Thank you for including me and I am loving reading all of the articles!
Thanks, Tanmeet! I'm still imagining Bangra dance moves. I appreciate your support and your contribution to this work. I'm sure your piece will lift many hearts AND inspire people to watch more Bollywood movies for inspiration. Oh maybe that could be a new article do you have favourite films with dance moves you'd recommend to us? Save that thought ;-)
Hi Victoria. I wholeheartedly agree with Jeff Scott’s comment. We all need the magic of music in our lives. I am especially moved by this beautiful essay and the stories that bind us all together through unfortunate circumstances surrounding the effects of dementia.
Thank you for including me in your story and bringing to light the power of music. 💚
Thanks, Charlene. Definitely! Music is intertwined in my DNA ...probably pre-birth ;-) Thank you for your beautiful story. If you'd like to please subscribe to the publication so that we can stay connected.xo
Music has a way of melting our differences. I find it more a more meaningful as the years go by. I imagine if I ever suffer from dementia or something similar, music will still bring me joy.
Thanks for the mention, I might point out that just YESTERDAY I changed the name of the article you linked to, "Zone Out, Tune In, and Live the Adventure."
Jeff, would you consider subscribing so that we can stay connected? There will be follow-ups to this article and I'm considering options to leverage the power of music. Thanks!
Hi Jeff, THANKS!!! I've updated the title of the piece. I was going to write another note to recommend checking out 'Fog Chaser'. I'm enjoying his compositions. Who knew that there would be composers releasing new music on Substack! It makes me wonder about sharing some of my own