Just ask my kids… if anyone sings to me they have my heart! (and I will feed them dinner.)  I fell in love and married a man who sings, but does not sing solo and does not sing on demand! He did sing to me once though… a love song of sorts… While driving with all our kids to Mexico in the old VW van he turned to me and sang

“Ol’ faithful,

we’ve roamed the range together…

when the roundup days are over,

there’ll be pastures full of clover,

for you,

my faithful friend of mine.”

We are fortunate to have a dear niece, a music therapist who lives in Salmon Arm. Roxy is not a professional musician, but she loves music, and she shares her music with warmth and joy. I do not even have to wait until I am sick or dying to have her sing to me!

I have seen Roxy work her magic.  One night, around the campfire, Roxy showed up with a backpack and guitar. I thought she was heading out… but she put the bags down in front of us, and started to unpack instruments, toys, noise makers…  The kids were delighted. For me it was fun to see the joy experienced by the kids.  But the therapeutic power was revealed as I watched one boy come alive while drumming with Roxy.  He interacted, responded, smiled, and expressed himself in a way that I had not seen the entire time I had known him.

At Life and Death Matters we are honoured to associate with Bev Foster and Room 217 .

Room 217’s therapeutic music resources have been specifically designed to create a pathway of soothing comfort through life’s transitions. They may provide support to those with complex care needs, life challenging illness, those facing stressful times in their lives, and those who are looking for calm and relaxation in the midst of their life journey. – Bev Foster

Bev is preparing to teach  Music Care: Caring for the Dying with Music , an online course with LDMOnline in January 2013. Stay tuned for further information, or secure your space and register.

Until then, it is just about time to pull out the Christmas music… one of my favorite times of year!