In high school, senioritis is as real as it gets. For some, it begins that first day in September when students realize they’re officially the ‘big dogs’ in the building. For others, it’s those last weeks or months taking stock in each moment, each milestone, and getting ready, with both trepidation and excitement, for that next stage after graduation. School years have a start and an end. Whether in homeschooling or traditional brick and mortar ones, one grade finishes before the other fully begins.

Music for shifting times: that is what we've called this series. Part of the idea behind the music shared with you in the series is to guide you to music which may help you think about or live through the unexpected, disconcerting, strange -- choose your own more emphatic adjective if you like -- situations facing the world. 

Writers, artists, musicians, actors, creative people of all sorts, often ask the best questions, questions which have to do with real values, fundamental choices, important relationships. As is true with any sort of art, these questions may at times be framed in poetic and indirect ways. Directly or indirectly, these works of creation help with reflection on such matters.

Lately I’ve taken notice of language - the words people choose to use and those that show up time and time again. If you listen, regardless of the situation involved in the discussion, you begin to hear patterns, synonyms, and repetition of emotions wrapped in very specific verbiage. Why do these words appear? Are they always those that are conscious choices, or are there underlying factors at work? Do those factors come from our experiences, our fears, our upbringing, or our lifestyle choices, or do they sneak up out of nowhere and we will never know the ‘why’?

Unsettling times, times of uncertainty, times of change -- these can bring about fear, and fear's twin, anger. Such times may bring about despair, frustration, discouragement. It is also possible, though, to live in such times with hope, and with courage. The music I offer you in this series of posts is meant to help with that. Careful how you go, indeed. Take heart and take courage, and keep music as your good companion.