What’s the Soundtrack for Your Life?

Music has this way of reaching far into our souls and adding an extra element of being. It’s almost as if it's a sense all its own. It calms us when we need rest. It invigorates us when we want to get physical. It touches us in a special way unlike anything else.

I don’t know what I would do if I lost my sense of hearing. Since I was a little girl I loved the sounds of my mom playing the piano. I believe this enhanced my appreciation for music of all flavors. I’m so thankful for that.

Even when we lived in a half-constructed log cabin with so little that I got a cardboard kitchen as my Christmas gift, my mom somehow managed to find an old upright piano to keep us entertained.

We had no television, but I never felt its absence. The sounds of Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer” filled the evenings as I drifted into sleep. Music made a most deprived time in my life, a very special and memorable time.

Imagine how different movies would be without the beautiful soundtracks that accompany them. Some of my most favorite soundtracks include “Dances with Wolves,” “Forrest Gump” and “The Cider House Rules.”

Then I wonder…what would be the soundtrack for my life? Have you ever thought about it?

If your life was made into a movie, can you think of the songs that would best describe the experiences and feelings you’ve encountered along your journey?

Your homework this week: Come up with your very own life soundtrack! Tell us in the comments.

After some thought, I’ve come up with this list (although I could add MANY more):

“The Giving” – Michael W. Smith

“Only Hope” – Switchfoot (Jon Foreman)

“Annie’s Song” – John Denver

“Rocky Mountain High” – John Denver

“Get Out the Map” – Indigo Girls

“Be Thou My Vision” – Dallan Forgaill

“Dream Big” – Ryan Shupe

“Peace Like a River” – Rev. Marvin Fey

“I’ve Been Everywhere” - Johnny Cash

“Take Me Home, Country Roads” – John Denver

“In His Time” – Maranatha! Singers

“Three Little Birds” Bob Marley

“Society” – Eddie Vedder

“The Story” Bradi Carlisle

"I Can Only Imagine" - MercyMe

For simple reasons, each of these songs carries a special meaning in my life. As I carry on day to day, I occasionally play some of them and imagine my life passing by as in a movie.

Even as I write this, I'm listening to my "Jenae Playlist," or as I've told my friends, the playlist I'd like played at a memorial service if I should die soon. You should have seen the look on their faces when I mentioned it!

Many think it's morbid to think that way, but life is short. It's OK to be prepared. Music means a lot to me. I want to make sure my soundtrack accurately reflects how I tried to live my life.

After all, don’t we all have a story to tell?