Apr 7, 2011

Life's Soundtrack - Everyday Gifts

95:365 The Long Way Home
Photo by Graceoverus from the i-Studio Flickr Group

Are you loving April's theme, Celebrating Everyday Gifts, as much as I am?  I've found myself focusing on the little things that make my life beautiful and full of light.  Whether it is the grass trying to peek through the snow, the sun rising over the mountains, a taste of dark rich chocolate or a hug from my niece or nephew, these everyday gifts make my life more beautiful.  The lovely photos filling the i-Studio Flickr group help remind me to focus on those gifts when the stress of life starts to creep in.

For our playlist this week we are going to put together a collection of songs that celebrate the gifts we receive each day when we take the time to open our eyes to them.  The songs could be about a walk along the beach, the beauty of a sunny day, the joy of a child's laughter, anything really that brings you to you.  Let me get us started:

  • Skyline - The Court Yard Hounds - it doesn't matter if your skyline is full of skyscrapers, or, like me, full of mountains, the beauty of looking out and seeing earth meet the sky always brings a sense of peace and wonder
  • Flower - Amos Lee - what beauty a simple bloom can bring to any room
  • The Treehouse Song - Ane Brun - nothing brings joy to a child like having a treehouse to play in and spur their imagination
  • Signs in the Leaves - Azure Ray - the leaves signal the beginning of spring as they start blooming and signal the coming of fall as they start changing color
  • Neighbor - Band of Horses - I don't know about you, but I have amazing neighbors who make my life so much better
  • Sand & Water - Beth Nielsen Chapman - is there anything better than a walk along the ocean?
  • It Won't Be Like this for Long - Darius Rucker - a song that celebrates the little milestones in life
Now it is your turn, take a minute to share in the comments your favorite songs that celebrate the everyday gifts in life.  I'll combine all of our favorite songs into a Everyday Gifts playlist which I'll share with you next week.  I can't wait to see what you'll come up with.

To get you started, and so you don't have to click each of the songs individually, here is a link to a playlist with my picks.

Happy Listening

5 comments:

Lisa Gordon said...

Wonderful post Jamie!
My (always) favorite...
"What a Wonderful World," Ray Charles.
It says it all to me.
Have a beautiful weekend!

Anna said...

Thanks Jamie for putting together the playlists! I'll have to put on my thinking cap.

Kim Klassen said...

jamie... you rock...in EVERY way... listening to your picks right now...and enjoying them immensely!!

xxo, Kim

bee said...

hi jamie!

so excited to see your post and a new playlist... those are some beautiful songs you chose to celebrate many of life's wonderful gifts.

i know that for me, your playlists are certainly a gift... music is one of the greatest gifts of all, isn't it?

some of the things that i am grateful for...

faith (john lennon's imagine)
hope (ron sexsmith's gold in them hills)
love (r.e.m.'s at my most beautiful... celebrating those beautiful, small moments of love, like saving answering machine messages, and watching someone while they sleep)
simplicity (the song simple gifts - there is a nice version with yo yo ma, i think?)
friendship (lean on me)
and... because it's getting late... that blessed gift of sleep (eric whitacre's choral piece - sleep)

so nice to visit the studio these days to be inspired to be grateful, and count my blessings for all the gifts i am given, each and every day!

hugs,
bee

Kelli said...

I love discovering new music every week!
Thanks Jamie for putting the lists together. Like bee said, they are a gift.
Here's some of the songs I thought of for this week's topic:
Coat of Many Colors ~ Dolly Parton
Steer ~ Missy Higgins
Keith Urban ~ Who Wouldn't Wanna be Me
The Police ~ Walking on the Moon
From the Little Mermaid ~ Under the Sea
The Summer Wind ~ Madeline Peyroux

I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with.
:)