Making sweet music, part II

I've been listening nearly all day to barbershop quartets. I absolutely love this music. This morning, I discovered a group that's probably well-known to anyone who sings in barbershop choirs, quartets or loves "tags," those impromptu jam sessions where it's just you and your voice, and perhaps a pitch pipe.

I came to a conclusion while listening to this group, Crossroads. They are a group I'd only heard of like two days ago. I checked YouTube and heard them. I'm listening to them now, singing at a 2009 championship. They're singing a song, Lucky Old Sun. It is about six minutes of the most pure, the most beautiful music I've ever heard.

And you know something, I've heard this song about two dozen times today, and I STILL get goosebumps from listening to their tight-as-a-drum harmonies. These guys are so absolutely talented. I can't describe it. I'm getting chills just listening to them now as I type.

This is what I want to do with my spare time -- that is, time that isn't spent loving my two children as much as possible, working hard, studying or doing my church callings. I want to sing all the time, whenever I can.

This barbershop music, it simply makes you feel good every time you hear it. You can't help but smile when you listen to it. You can't help but get chills down your spine when you hear those harmonies, aided with nothing but the voice of the person next to you. And it's all positive, funny, poignant and feel-good music. I could listen to it all day.

Here's the deal. I have a voice that has been largely dormant since I left college. No more. I'm going to sing my lungs out from now on. It's what I feel the most euphoric doing. There is no bigger individual high I get than from singing. Nothing matches it.

Wherever I end up, wherever I land, I'm going to sing, and sing loud and sing proud. I have an instrument, and I think the Lord wants me to use it to make people happy.