Music and Memory

My daughter’s most frequent request these days is, “sing.” Followed repeatedly by, “more.” Anytime we are nursing, walking, cuddling, driving – basically anytime we are not engaged in active play – she wants me to sing. And she revels in telling me “no,” sometimes 15 times in a row, until I hit on a song she wants to hear.

Sweetly tyrannical, isn’t that true of so many moments with our toddlers.

The other night as we went for an after dinner stroll to settle down, I was reflecting on what songs come to mind when I am running out of options. For whatever reason the songs that come to my mind are ones I learned at summer camps and old folk tunes. Isn’t memory interesting.

That night, she finally accepted She’s Got the Whole World in Her Hands.  Fitting, really.