I have always loved music.  Sometimes it drives my children crazy...sometimes they love me for it.  They make fun of my love of hippie music; they complain about having to practice a piano piece or sing a difficult harmony over and over till it is right...but now they put together their own mixes of music that they love, from assorted gems through the last 60 or 70 years, not just music that is popular now, on the radio, that all their friends listen to.  Although some of those songs find their way in, too.  And when they are grown, I don't think they will ever look back and say, "we so wish our mom had never taught us to sing, never insisted on piano skills."  It doesn't usually happen like that.  

There was a time when I couldn't sing any more, couldn't stand to listen to music--it was about the time I stopped talking.  Thank God I am not there any more.  There are some times when a song says it best...times when I can't find words but I know that "there is a song for that."  Songs are so layered with meaning...i love old hymns and the art of word arrangement by some of the writers of generations gone by is unparalleled.  Or sometimes the performance makes the song...the singer's passion, emotion, or beautiful voice.  

The links at the bottom of this post are two versions of the same song...it has been a theme through my life in the last year.  "Whispering hope, oh, how welcome thy voice...making my heart, in its sorrow, rejoice."

I loved the harmony of Daniel O'Donnell and Mary Duff...my hubby introduced me to a bit of Irish music a few years ago and I fell in love.  But this talented duo only performed the first two verses.  So I also added the link to Willie Nelson's version which includes all three verses.  Because third verse is just pretty awesome...

"Whispering Hope" performed by Willie Nelson
"Whispering Hope" performed by Daniel O'Donnell and Mary Duff