The Sound of Music

I was watching Seinfeld the other day, and Elaine, George, and Jerry, in one of their oh-so-typically banal conversations, were discussing whether they would rather date someone who was blind or deaf. It got me to thinking about which one I thought would be harder to deal with... blindness or deafness?
Last night, I think I found my answer.
It came to me in the unexpected form of the Mississippi State University Choir's Holiday Choral Concert, which I went to on a whim when I got out of class early.
The choral concert was absolutely phenomenal, and I got chills from the feeling and emotion contained in every piece. I felt like I could honestly hear God's power and majesty in their voices; and the guy who played the organ was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
In fact, let me take a moment to tip my proverbial hat to the whole choir; I was beyond blown away with the talent and dedication that was so evident in that group of people. First of all, they were huge; through looking at the program, I estimated about 165 people. Some of you may know that, as an undergrad dead-set on experiencing just about extracurricular activity available at Mississippi State University, I was a member of the choir for a very brief time during my sophomore year of college. (I know, I know... you didn't know I could sing. There's a reason for that: I can't. I'm pretty sure the director just took pity on me because I somehow managed to struggle through to the end of the audition piece.) Anyway, it has definitely grown since then... a lot. Also, beyond being humongous, they were just so good. I mean, they were really good. They really made me proud of my university.
Of all the many, many blessings God has bestowed upon my life, the gift of music is one I treasure most. Words put to music take on different meanings, and sometimes music alone says things that even the most eloquent of words cannot express. Listening to a great song on the radio, hearing a story unfold through the crescendos and expressions of classical music, sitting down at the piano and playing a favorite piece, and feeling out the next note on the violin each stirs deep emotion. That's probably one of the dorkiest, cheesiest things I've ever said, but it's true.
I cannot imagine a world in which I could never hear music.