Charms to Soothe the Savage Breast

I have an important question for you, dear reader. When was the last time you listened to music? I mean, really listened?

I have been sitting here, dredging the very depths of my mind, trying to find something to write about; I've been waiting for inspiration to strike.
Now, I keep music playing in the background of basically everything I do. Cleaning, driving, playing games, and writing, everything. But its usually just that, background music. Something to keep the dreadful silence away.

I was sitting, waiting, hoping for something to spark my imagination, when my player shuffled from Seals and Croft (Summer Breeze!) to the Mad Song from the opera "Lucia di Lammermoor." If you've seen The Fifth Element, then you've heard it. It's the Diva's song, minus the techno bit.

As my mind was open and quiet, the music seeped in. I listened. Truly listened. The singing, the orchestra, all of it was suddenly indescribably beautiful. I don't mind telling you that I got a little teary eyed.

The aria ended, the next song cycled. The Universe had to have been watching me at that moment, because Chopin's Nocturne No. 19 began to play. I lost it. I wept. No, really, I did. (The Carrington women have a weakness for Chopin anyway. This piece in particular is my kryptonite.)

And then it hit me. A little bit of everyday magic had just occured. It had happened before but it never really occured to me how powerful the effect is.

So, as I wipe the tears from my eyes, I wanted to ask when was the last time you sat down and listened to music? When was the last time you let it sink in and move you? If that's never happened, then I highly recommend that you try it.