I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t live without music in my life. Maybe it stems back to Saturday nights when I was a kid and my parents used to tape the Saturday night ‘oldies’ show off the radio onto cassette tapes. Or maybe it was when I found my mothers case of 45’s in our basement and found songs like “going to the Chapel” or “it’s my party” just to name a few.

Or maybe it was being at Northland and remembering when my counsellors had to get special permission to leave for an overnight day off to go to Toronto to see Bruce Springsteen, or listening to You’ve got a friend, or Fire and Rain by James Taylor for the first time. Or sitting and listening to In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins in my back yard with my friends when we were 15. Or learning camp songs and cabin cheers.

Or maybe it was having music class in school. Deciding to pick the clarinet as my instrument and loving it. Going to live theatre and listening intently to them warming up and hearing the clarinet. Even now, I just went a month ago to see my friend perform at the York Symphony and I listened for the clarinet. I always said if I could have a do over, I would love to play the clarinet in live theatre on Broadway.

Or maybe it was being old enough while sitting in Synagouge the first time I realized how powerful the prayer Hineni was. Watching my cantor start at the back of the congregation in his high holiday head dress and walking towards the front chanting his prayer, and then getting to the front and bowing in front of the Torahs. That cantor has long since retired, but earlier this year I attended a funeral where he was asked to be the cantor and just to hear his voice again brought tears to my eyes.

I remember being a bus moniter when I worked at Fundale (now Centre camp). I used to bring a ‘boom box’ on the bus. Believe it or not, I taught those kids the words to American Pie by Don McLean. They had NO idea what they were singing about, but they knew the words as we pulled up to the camp and they were screaming out the windows, “bye bye miss American Pie, drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry.” I remember when I was in New Orleans with Brad and we drove past the levy in the 9th ward that broke during Katrina, that song was going through my head.

Maybe it was all the times being in the car and hearing a great song on the radio. I have been known (and seen) to belt out my inner Carly Simon (you’re so vain), Diana Ross (upside down your turning me), Don Mclean (American Pie ALL THE WORDS), and more recently Maroon 5 (moves like Jagger). Lots of other car songs have meaning as well. I remember being on a road trip and listening to Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen. I think it was that road trip that I started to learn about songs and their hidden meanings between the lines.

Now, it is listening to my nieces when we compare what camp songs they have learned and how the same song that I sang at 7 years old is ‘sort of’ the same song now. And when they sing the Bruchas on Shabbat, and their songs from Hebrew School. And my little nephew whose anthem seems to be LMAFO Party Rockers in the house tonight. To see him “shuffling” to that song just makes me smile.

Don’t be afraid to turn up the radio and sing in your car. Don’t just dance like no one is watching, sing your heart out whenever you want! I know that I won’t stop!

Today’s video clip is from Ally McBeal…..if you watched that show you know that she had music playing in her head through different times in her life (remember the dancing ugga chaka baby)….I hope you will smile and watch this clip!

Today I was driving to work and was listening to Chumfm. Roger was discussing that today was the launch of this years Christmas wish campaign and how you can bring a toy to the station or to any of the 190 branches of RBC in the gta or cash is accepted as well. I know that other stations have their toy mountains, and doctor’s offices and everywhere we turn there are some sort of gift drives that will start to pop up for the next five weeks leading up to the holidays.

I would like to bring up another type of donating that doesn’t just happen for the five weeks from now until December 25th. This is something you can do any day of any week of the year.

I have to admit, until a friend of mine did this a few years ago, I hadn’t really thought about it, but now I just want to pass it on, and have people I know talk about it in their offices, companies, amongst friends, etc.

What I am talking about is simple – the next time you go to buy your coffee at Tim’s, Starbucks, or your shampoo, or pick up a perscription at Shoppers drug mart – buy a gift card – and donate it to The Hospital for Sick Kids. (http://www.sickkids.ca/VisitingSickKids/main-street/index.html)

You are going to ask me – why does that help? Why is that a donation? To whom?

– think about a parent that may need a toothbrush or tooth paste after they have spend the night with their sick child at the hospital.
– think about the child that may want a treat while they are waiting for the doctor to see them.
– think about that parent that has been up all night and just HAS to have their coffee – either from Tim’s or Starbucks.
I can go on and on about the different scenarios, but you get the point.

The reason for those three stores is because they are onsite at the hospital.

I have brought this up at my Hadassah chapter exec meeting in the summer and we have added a gift card drive to our annual Chanukah party and gift exchange. I hope that we raise hundreds of $$$$ worth of gift cards to deliver to the hospital. The key is to get small denominations ($5) so that they can hand them out to families in need in small ways. The more small cards they have, the more families they can give a gift to.

Please discuss this with your teams in your companies, with the friends you meet at Starbucks or Tim’s for coffee, any social group you are part of. Make it something you start as a new tradition in your family. Buy them with your kids and then make a trip to the hosptial to deliver your gift of holiday cheer.

Help a family, help yourself – remember Tikkun Olam!