Those were the words spoken by August Rush in the 2007 film of the same name. The words reflect a powerful question. As the script reads, August goes on to say:
“Can you hear it? The music. I can hear it everywhere. In the wind…in the air…in the light. It’s all around us. All you have to do is open yourself up. All you have to do…is listen.”
August Rush tells the story of a musically gifted orphan who runs away from his orphanage and searches New York City for his birth parents. Little does he know that his parents are searching for him as well. He also doesn’t know that both of his parents are gifted musicians. What he does know and recognize is that he hears music everywhere. He picks up what others do not. He tunes in to the music beyond the hubbub of the noisy city streets that also can be heard in the noise by someone who listens to creation.
The film points to a significant truth that another character (Wizard) in the movie speaks of when he and August talk about the music August is hearing. Listen to these beautiful lines:
“You know what music is? God’s little reminder that there’s something else besides us in this universe, a harmonic connection between all living beings, every where, even the stars.”
Humans from every culture in every era are irresistibly drawn to music. The variations of musical sounds, styles, and types appear to be endless. Every generation, every tribe and culture, creates new sounds in new ways and call it music.
The current age allows us to enjoy a veritable buffet of choices of music in the many ways it is recorded and disseminated. The evidence of the popularity of music is clear when you see how many of those walking along the street, riding in an elevator, or running on the treadmill in the gym have earpieces tucked into their ears to accompany them. Some of us prefer a narrow bandwidth of musical types, while others of us enjoy many types and choose the music based on the mood or activity we are enjoying.
I fit into the latter category and the playlists on my iPod reflect that variety. I have classical, jazz, Broadway, pop, gospel, worship, movie themes, a little country, and even a writing playlist.
The evidence of music in the Bible shows up very early. It’s in Genesis 4:21 and it tells us Jubal was the fourth generation from Adam through Cain and was said to be “the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.” Wow! It can be easy to miss these early evidences of music. Of course the longest book in the Bible, Psalms, is a book of songs. In Ephesians 5:19 Paul admonishes us to communicate with one another in the body through hymns, psalms, and songs from the Holy Spirit, to “sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.”
But I digress because the thing that impacts me today is the theme from August Rush about the music that is already surrounding us, much of which comes from the Creator through what He has created. It’s not surprising Paul writes in Romans 1:20 (NASB), “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”
The songs around us show up vividly in Isaiah 55:12 (ESV):
“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
What would that sound like? What incredible sounds will accompany the Lord’s return and the worship around the throne?
For now, I want to tune in most of all to the sounds August mentions “the wind…in the air…in the light.” Those challenge me beyond the musical sounds of water and birds that I more often hear. I think He hopes we will tune in to the music all around us to remind us of His omnipresence, to encourage and comfort our hearts, to remind us we are not alone.
The sound I eagerly anticipate hearing is the sound of the trumpet that will announce His return. What a musical note that will be!
Thank you for sharing your moments of music with us at Fiesta Friday! Nice photos, too!
Thanks!!
Hi Pam! I do love that term ‘music’ when applied to things that are not inherently notes on a page, but lyrical instead. Like the stars, wind and mountains. It just ignites something inside me.
That movie sounds really wonderful. Imagine having such big gifts and not knowing that they are inherited and a family treasure. But at least he knew the music was in him! Makes me so thankful for the gifts my parents have passed on down to me, faith being the best and brightest of them. I wonder if writing was something your parents did? Or somehow contributed to your counseling career?
Blessings,
Ceil
Good morning, Ceil! Both my parents were musical and my mother loved to write cards and notes and occasionally a poem, but not beyond that. They played a role in both writing and counseling, but not in the way you might think. Writing was an outlet for me while growing up when expressing my feelings did not much room. My brother was mentally and physically handicapped and my mother was anxious and often depressed. I became a parentified child very early in my childhood. I wrote stories in my head a great deal of the time and dreamed of writing. Counseling came along as a result of a deep gratefulness for how it helped me in early adulthood and desiring that others know they are loved by God and can have a rich life because of Him.
Love,
Pam
Beautiful words Pam, they cut so deep and they’re so very true. We haven’t seen August Rush yet, I’ll have to put it on our watch list. Thank you
Thanks so much!! August Rush was released in 2007 so you may find it at a library, Netflix, You Tube or the like. Hope you enjoy it!
Pam – I am blessed by your thoughts on the gift of music and wonderful pictures, as well. And, I have a new movie to watch – so glad I stopped by your blog. Have a wonderful weekend!
So glad to hear that, Sandra! August Rush was released in 2007 so you may find it at a library or You Tube or Netflix or the like. Hope your weekend has been lovely! In Ohio it is unusually hot with a temp of 90!! I love autumn so I am ready for a change in temperature. 🍁
What’s your writing playlist??? I use William Ackerman but would love a new one!
I used Michael Hyatt’s on Spotify😊
I have yet to see this movie. Thx for bringing it to my attention.The sound that comes to mind as I read is the sound of wind blowing through saguaro cactuses. Once I was at a ladies retreat in Arizona. And I heard a strange sound as I was sitting all alone on a Barren Hillside with only scrub brush and saguaro cactus growing on it. Lo and behold it was the sound of the gentle breeze playing on the needles of the Saguaro. Unforgettable.
Music and hearing are such gifts. Have you ever wondered which you would choose if you could have either sight or hearing but not both?
It’s a great movie with some powerful messages. We purchased it a few years ago and watch it periodically. I love the musical score, but appreciate the depth of some of the lines in the screenplay and there themes woven throughout.
That sounds like a very magical moment as you describe it in Arizona!
It would be a very difficult question to answer on which to choose. I feel so blessed to have both. I love music, but I also enjoy photography. Have a wonderful weekend!🍁
OK, I’ve missed a great movie, apparently!
Thanks for that tip, and for your wonderful words about God’s gift of music.
It’s one of those movies that stirs the imagination and has some lines in the screenplay that beg reflection. Hope you get to see it! We ended up buying it a few years ago.💕
I want to watch August rush again! As I sit in an airport lounge right now, way too early for my flight, I hear many sounds, and even U2 coming from someone’s phone. There is music everywhere, isn’t there? Maybe even the drip of coffee–yes, what a wonderful world God made for us, always reminding we are not alone.
It’s a powerful movie and each time I watch it, I appreciate all the meaning of the script’s lines whether or not the intent was there for that or not🍁
Beautiful, Pam! By the way, I love August Rush!
Yeah!!! It’s a great movie!!!!😊