Music speaks louder than words
It’s the only thing that the whole world listens to
Music speaks louder than words
When you sing People understand
My parents, both musicians and spiritual leaders in their own right, have sung these words by Peter, Paul, and Mary in intricate two-part harmony for as long as I can remember.
It is the melody that wafts through some of my earliest childhood memories, as well as the poignant gift my parents shared when our closest loved ones gathered to celebrate my wedding to my wife, Julia.
The simple message of this song – that music is one of the most powerful unifying forces available to us in this life – has become much more than just “a lesson from my parents.” It has led me to the work I am blessed to do every day, to sing and play and help people around the world to find their own voices so that they might do the same.
Pirkei Avot teaches, “in a place where there is no humanity, try to be human.” And so my parents taught me: in a world of words, try to be the music. Music speaks louder than words.
Elana Arian is a composer and multi-instrumentalist recording artist. www.elanaarian.com
