maybe it's music.

There is a thought… how do we know what will happen after we die if we can't remember what happens before we were born… or wherever we were before we were born is where we will go after we die.

Patients with alzheimers and dementia, one could say, have an inability to remember where they came from - within this life. But, (if you’ve never seen the movie Alive Inside - you should) there is an incredible phenomenon with these patients and music - they tend to go back and remember the things that we’re once gone. Childhood memories and experiences. These men and women come alive again.

I was recently at a Troye Sivan concert in Capitol Hill. Troye is one of my favorite musicians who happens to be gay. Kim Petras (another of my favorites) opened for him and she is one of the youngest humans to ever undergo gender transition. I only say that since the concert was in Capitol Hill, my wife and I were most likely the top 1% of oldest and my wife and I - and daughter - were probably in the 1% of people who were straight. It was basically a gay pride event - of which I was thrilled to be at but you understand the scene. It was possible to feel like I didn’t belong.

I sat next to a person that I would (if I’m honest) normally not sit next to. A strange person. (I don’t need to say more.) Intimidatingly strange. The person was on their phone for the opening acts and, in my most judgmental self (which I’m very well trained at) I threw all kinds of judgments at this person.

And then Troye Sivan came out. And then this person stood. And then this person danced. And half-way through the concert I was dancing too, smiling, laughing, experiencing life with that person and everyone else in the concert. It was sacred.

And so… where was I before I was born? I can't say for sure but I think music has an amazing tendency to remind all of us - whether we have dementia or not - because in some sense we all have dementia about who we really are. And when some music comes on - we experience it - and we remember that we are part of the divine loving mystery of the universe, all of us, together as one. The labels, judgments, hatred, tribes are (as Alan Watts says) a play.

So… that song helps us to remember where we’re from. And, in that sense, have a good idea of where we’re trying to get.

So, the next time the song does that thing to you - let it really do something to you.