A Not So Random Commercial

June 14, 2009

Throughout my life, music has meant a lot to me. From a very early age, I would listen to songs over and over writing down the lyrics.

There have been many times I remember being in the middle of something and a song would cause me to completely lose focus on what I was doing. It's as if the song were demanding my attention and I'd be powerless to do anything but be engulfed by it. This has happened to me over and over and it's particularly irritating for people who are with me when it happens, especially if we're in the middle of a conversation.

Today, I was sitting in the living room working on my laptop while watching a favorite movie of mine Good Will Hunting. My sons Grant and David were playing with their toys. This is a common Sunday scene in our household.

Then it happened. As I was typing away on my computer, a commercial for a new Toyota car model came on. Suddenly, a a beautiful chorus of unaccompanied Alto voices started in dum... dum... dum... dum... da-da-dum... dum... Then an innocent almost child like voice joined in "There's a reason for the sun shine sky. There's a reason why I'm feeling so high..." The song, a wonderful harmonic a capella version of "Let Your Love Flow" by Petra Haden had me hooked. I immediately stopped what I was doing and I turned my attention to a surreal commercial in which a Toyota Prius drives through a colorful landscape of costumed people portraying the countryside. As I did so, I saw my oldest son Grant playing with his toys completely unaffected by the commercial. Then I looked at my younger son David. His face was beaming. He had stopped playing with his toys and was riveted to the TV. He stood up and started dancing unaware that I was watching him. Halfway through the commercial, he noticed me watching him, smiled and walked over to me. I started snapping my fingers and bobbing my head and he did his best to snap his fingers too. We smiled at each other and let the music take us away.

It's an incredible feeling to see yourself in your child and understand them in ways to which few others can relate. My heart swelled up upon thinking how music might impact him throughout his life and I look forward to his company the next time we're swept away by a song.