You’ve heard of the saying – I can’t remember where I put my keys, but I remember every word from a song from the 80s. Music resonates for most of us.

A lot of my writer friends write to movie soundtracks or specific period music to get them in the right frame of mind for their story.

Can you imagine movies without music? When the shark attacks in “Jaws” or when Norman Bates stabs Marion Crane in the infamous shower scene in “Psycho” – how different those scenes would be without music!

Where would a good love story be without the soaring violins and sweeping sounds to make us all feel like we’re on cloud 9?

When I’m having a bad day, I turn on worship and praise music. It’s amazing how quickly my mood lifts and how my day can turn around.

Music can take us to another place, or it can ground us in joy right where we are. It can express the anger of a hurtful break-up, make us laugh, or even fall in love.

Music can take us back to a certain place and time. When a song becomes special or memorable. The first time I slow danced with my future husband in high school was to “Sailing” by Christopher Cross. My hubby and I got married on a boat, so naturally, our first dance on our wedding day was to “Sailing.”

Songs can be the soundtrack of our lives. Fill us with emotions, memories and more. It can soothe us like a lullaby. It can even bring us to tears – hopefully cleansing tears. It can make us get up and dance, or praise the savior.

What’s the sound track of your life? Do you have favorite songs you put on when you need a lift? If you’re a writer, do you write to music?

Music can be comforting. As a two-time cancer survivor, I have to have an annual MRI. Thankfully, they let me bring in my own CD and every time it’s been Top of my Lungs by Phillips, Craig and Dean. Now every time I hear a song from that album, I have comfort and peace.

When I think of my father, I think of Nat King Cole and “Unforgettable.” That’s his song. My Mom’s song is probably “Wind Beneath my Wings.”

What about you? Do you have songs that remind you of certain people in your life?