Loud and blaring!

Loud and blaring!

Hearing a neighbour playing loud, no very loud rhumba music , to be specific Kanda Bongoman left me with a smile on my face.
Washing my dishes by the sink, it was like he was playing the music just outside my window.
The sweet music took me.down memory lane…

I smiled , you know the way you smile alone in a room full of people after getting a message on your phone that the others know nothing about and so cannot smile too? Thats the experience that I had as I heard loud Kanda Bongoman music.

I smiled mainly for two reasons.One I remember myself behaving exactly like our neighbour, a long long time ago.

I enjoy listening to music. When I was younger it was the louder the better! Each day I would listen to the radio as I prepared for work.I have a confession to make I used to sleep with my radio on , with the volume very low.

The radio would lull me to sleep and if I had a bout of insomnia , I would listen to music as I “counted ” sheep and drift off again.

Weekend time was my time to play loud music.Very loud with windows wide open.The wind would carry the music vibes far and I am sure that somewhere where the music was carried to, there were two categories of people.A group of people who like me hearing Kanda Bongoman smiled and.another who cursed me for being irresponsible.

I remember the first time I laid my eyes on the radio that produced this loud weekend music.I loved the feature of the surround speakers , it assured me.that the loud games would be played well!

Listening to old school with my daughters now, at times I am surprised to hear them sing along some.songs that I am.sure were made before they could speak well! And I always get the same response when I ask how do they know those songs ?
They say that they know the songs because I used to play them when they were small.

Really ! I have since concluded that I used to drill their minds with my loud music.

I am.not much of a dancer.Actually the truth be told in simple terms, I cannot dance.I have two left feet.But I loved to move my body to music and I would have my daughters join me and we would dance to whatever was playing.
Sometimes we danced in our sleep shirts! I am sure that I was way healthier then.

End of the 1990s and beginning of the Millenium , I dont remember if dancing was considered as a form of exercise like it is now.

My radio and its surround speakers has been faithful to me.Its now in sunset lap of its lifetime.It might have outlived its life span.The shop where I bought it closed many years ago.

Weekend time meant that loud music was the order of the day.I also played cassettes in the double tape deck.
My radio was an exceptional companion, it didnt muzzle my casettes.It impressed me all the time.

Second reason, I remember when my daughters became teengaers.
Goodness!I wasnt so young anymore and the music seemed to go straight to my heart .Each time they played music I would think the high volume would get to my heart and stop it from beating further.

One of the causes of conflict between young people and their parents, guardians or caregivers is the type of music and the level of the volume.

When one is young it seems the louder the better.It seems that the louder the better.And one has to sing along to every song only that one has to sing above the already high volume.

Looking back now, I just smile.I dont judge.Neither do I voice unending complaints. I try to enjoy the music and make sense of the lyrics althougb at times the lyrics are too fast and seem muddled.

Can we really lose relationships or risk them being battered because of the high volume?

Its important to separate the the minors from the majors.
The major is what is the young person listening to? What messages are they getting from the music?
Minor is throwing a tantrum whenever the volume is high and switching off the music player.
Major is setting rules.Given that they enjoy loud music, that doesnt mean that loud music has to be the unmwelcome family alarm.
Each home needs serene times, these must be agreed by all within the household.
Now when the loud music starts blaring in my home, its my cue to be in the garden or just outside relaxing!
I have had to unplug one ear phone while one is listening when its not playing out for all to hear.
I have had to emphasise that ears need to be treated well or one will be paying the doctor a visit soon.
In all this I keep learning, its important to separate the minors from the majors and I will do my best to enjoy and not endure time with my housemates despite our age differences and what we love!