The Soundtrack of Your Life

How many times have you listened to the radio, and you heard a song that hurled you back to a particular event? Note the body sensations—belly flops, increased heart rate, feelings of euphoria or sadness. Whenever I hear “Beds are Burning” by Midnight Oil, I think of the time my sister, some friends, and I danced in a parking lot. It was late at night on a weekend; it was snowing, and we were walking around our small town. We made snow angels and tossed powdery snowballs. Then we broke into song and danced where we were, in the middle of a parking lot. No, we weren’t drunk. And we didn’t get arrested. I doubt that anyone saw us.

Whenever I hear that song, I’m reminded of my almost care-free teenage years. I get the urge to dance, and I want to become that teenager in that moment.

Think of the songs that connect you to events in your life. If you could create a soundtrack of your life, what songs would you include? Begin with the first song you remember hearing. Jot down the song titles as fast as you can. Don’t worry about putting them in order. You can order them later if you want. One by one, cluster or freewrite about each song. Write every detail you can remember. Pay attention to physical sensations. Include sensory details such as lighting and smells. What was the weather? Who was present? Was there any conversation? What things were not said? Write about the actions. Push past any resistance and go deep.

As always...have fun with it! And please tell me about your own memories.