Yesterday afternoon I was listening to music on Alexa and my favorite song of all time came on. That caused multiple memories of a very special friend – the woman who passed away two days after my brother – Reverend Anne Kunath. So I started journaling about the memories and decided to listen to my “neuroplasticity” playlist – the playlist that I use for the great memories that keep me from going down the old engrained (or is it ingrained) thought pathway. But that’s not really important today.

As each song played I wrote about the events or people that it brought back.

I haven’t experienced that much love all at one time ever before. It was amazing. But also kind of sad especially given my career in the military. I would meet people, develop wonderful friendships and love and then have to move. The friendships lasted but the ability to see these people when geographically separated is limited. And that is what’s very sad.

I encourage you all to spend as much time as you can spending time with your friends and loved ones. They are the most important thing in the world. We must never forget that.

I also encourage you to play some of your favorite songs and write down memories while listening. I am so moved by music and its power that when coupled with remembrances, there is no greater force in your life. It may bring some sadness if those in your memories have already passed on as many have with me. But it also intensifies the beauty of their memories and makes them stronger and easier to embrace with love more than sadness – at least for awhile.

I have lost my brother and two amazing mentors/friends recently so this practice I discovered today will become more of a habit since it has helped the emotions surface and get out of the depths in which I have previously buried them.

Today’s gratitudes:
I am so grateful for all my wonderful friends – living or not

I am grateful for the new friends I have made in the past year

I am grateful for music and the feelings it brings to the surface.