Friends,

Dan Cohen, a social worker in an East Coast nursing home, plays personally tailored music via iPod headsets for older residents diagnosed with dementia and other "imprisoning" disorders. The results are simple and striking. The residents awaken and come alive. They move, sing, and dance. They have episodic memory for events associated with the music. They smile and weep with joy. They seem in touch with themselves. Quite literally, they appear to be different people. I emphasize these two words because they stand in stark contrast to the sameness and depersonalization often imposed upon them, blinded by culture-driven presumptions of their dementia.

Henry Dreher, 94, had been spending his days sitting in his wheelchair with his head hanging down. Dan puts headphones on Henry. The iPod plays one of Henry's old favorites, Cab Calloway. Dreher's eyes open wide, his face lights up and he starts singing along with the music. After he says, "It gives me the feeling of love, romance, because right now the world needs to come into music, singing. You've got beautiful music here. Beautiful, oh, lovely."

Reading the story about Henry, I think of it this way. Music unlocks the heart and we are restored to our self. The philosopher Kant reminded us that music is the quickening art. In other words, music brings something to life. Yes. And that something may be our self.

Got a favorite song?

Pastor Phil