You Must Be Able to Hear the Music

 

Last week my husband, oldest son and I went to see the movie Oppenheimer.  One conversation struck me right near the start, and I found it still rolling around in the background a week later.  In the conversation Niels Bohr is speaking to Oppenheimer and says, "The important thing isn’t can you read music, it’s can you hear it." 

What was interesting is this was followed by a  sequence of images where they used both images and sounds to stress this point. As I ponder this idea I want to change this quote to read, "The important thing isn't can you READ music, it's can you also HEAR it, SEE it, FEEL it."  This moves the process from just a straight understand of what is presented to a multi-sensory way of experiencing it.  

When my husband was an HVAC mechanic, he was brilliant at diagnostics because the piece of equipment was a living system for him.  It wasn't about evaluating all the individual parts one at a time to find one not working, it was about the flow that had to happen for the system to work. Discover where the flow is interrupted and you discover the problem. 

My oldest son is a software engineer. Right from the beginning he wanted to take the time to build a new program in way that allowed it to grow and change over time seamlessly. He wanted to create something that would flow easily, no matter what changes occurred. Unfortunately, the more standard practice is to create individual modules to plug in. When new features are created without thought, you creating more of a Frankenstein monster as time passes. 

Then there are the artists I know.  They feel and experience the world around them in unique way. Their work goes beyond an exact copy. It offers a deeper truth.  If a person, they capture the soul peeking out. In nature they show us the world's invisible flow and energy. We experience the world in a deeper way through their art. The same holds true for authors, poets, musicians, lyricists, dancers and more.  

As I read a good book, I get drawn in and lose touch with the world around me. I see the people in my head, I hear their voices and sensually walk through their world. That is one of the reasons I rarely see a movie if I have read the book first. The movie version usually jars with what my mind created. Part of my growth as a writer has been to expand my ability to offer my readers this deeper, more tactile experience.  Learning how to achieve this is a combination of ability, desire, and sheer hard work.

Creating a tactile experience can be extra challenging when writing non-fiction, but there are always ways to improve. I found embracing poetry has helped. Beautiful imagery shared in a few lines means every single word has to count. It has taught me to explore synonyms to expand my descriptive vocabulary. We writers also love our words, so can really get lost when they are pouring out of us. Creating poetry is teaching me to understand the importance of trimming out the unnecessary. It isn't easy, but is a tool that can help elevate my work.

As I share these ideas with you, I find my mind wandering to how this concept could be applied in my daily life.  One thing I have always been good at is knowing when to leap. I don't always deal with the aftermath well, but the leap part comes easy.  How do I know?  I hear the music. I sense the flow. I feel both deep in my bones. Before my head has a chance to check in, I choose to move with it. An important note here is this never should be done on a whim.  Choosing to leap must come from a place of deep knowing and inner guidance. In other areas of my life, hearing the music comes harder. It's time to work towards integrating all my senses fully.

As you move through each day over the next week, see if you can let go of the mental to-do list, the schedule, and the demands on your time occasionally.  Try to stop "reading the music" every minute.  Sink within and let your other senses reign supreme for a few moments. Can you FEEL the flow of life drawing you forward?  Can you SEE the beauty surrounding you on your path?  Can you hear the music of the universe accompanying you? Once you do, nothing will be the same. 

Yes, you still need to read the music, just don't stop with one sense.  Life is best experienced using all your senses equally. Don't limit yourself to a restricted view.