I'd like to say that you really have to be into music passionately to truly appreciate this but maybe not. A friend brought the movie, "Once" over to our house last night to share. (Thank you, Connor!) As with most inspiration, you never quite know when it is going to come or where from so it took me quite by surprise on this quiet Wednesday night. Following a grueling workout and shower, I was comfortable in sweats and thought I'd see a nice little story about people and drift off to sleep satisfied. I got a whole lot more.
This movie really hit me. The music seared right into me. It is a story that takes place in Dublin, Ireland about a man and his music and the woman he meets that steps into his life for a time to enhance his music and his life. I don't quite know how to explain the feeling this music and story gave me. This was a man with a beat up guitar and a simple life pouring his heart and soul into these songs. They are simple melodies that packed the most powerful punch. The songs were full of life and pain and the movie full of aching honesty and genuineness. I found myself riveted right from the beginning and particularly enthralled with each song played. I think the most amazing part is that at the end of the movie, I found out from our friend that the actors in the movie are the real writers and performers of these songs. The story was fictional but the fact that these songs truly came from the actors made such an impression on me. Somehow I felt let in to their real world of divine yet unadorned raw talent.
It made me realize how very asleep I've been in nurturing my own musical passion. I wanted to run right out and purchase this soundtrack and learn every word and sing it until my heart was overflowing. As of late, I have not given that passion enough oxygen to let it breathe fully enough for growth. That passion got me into voice lessons twelve years ago. It also got me singing regularly with friends ten years ago. Sadly, in recent years I have stuffed it below other things in my life staunching its growth and I feel the difference. It's time to revel in that kind of satisfaction again.
It is one of the greatest gifts of life is to be blindsided by great inspirations, recognize them, be grateful for them and change my life because of them.
Check out the youtube clip on my myspace page for a sample from the movie. A big thank you to Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglove!!
http://www.myspace.com/songbird0706
