Before They Know Why They Came

Week One at Music Together

Families arrive for a smile and a song,

Though silently wondering if they’ll belong.

They leave their shoes piled in rows by the wall,

Not yet fully sure of the point of it all.

They sit in a circle, the music begins,

Some parents lean forward, some fold themselves in.

Grownups start singing, some eager, some shy,

Their voices unsure, but willing to try.

One child is cautious, another is free,

One studies it all with deep scrutiny.

Toddlers start bouncing, we join them and move,

Catch onto the rhythm and find our own groove.

We try every motion, we miss more than planned,

We laugh and keep going—without a demand.

Little feet patter, we sway to the beat,

Hear cooing and squealing, small voices so sweet.

There’s shaking of shakers, a stomp, a tiptoe,

A protest, a giggle, a loud, certain “NO.”

And no one stops singing. No one corrects.

No gold stars are given. No progress is checked.

Embracing the rhythm, our movements unite,

A melody mingles with sounds of delight.

It’s quite a new feeling, immersed in our own sound,

It touches something in us that lay waiting, unfound.

Uniqueness emerges, yet differences fade,

By the power of music, a kinship is made.

A moment of learning, a child’s gift of affection,

In our circle of families, a deepening connection.

And slowly, so slowly, we feel a small shift.

Too quiet to name, a spark or a lift.

The room hasn’t changed, yet something is new,

The music no longer feels like a “must do.”

Soon lullabies come with a tender embrace,

A moment of stillness held safely in place.

Small heads find shoulders they trust, and it shows,

A calm kind of closeness that quietly grows.

An understanding emerges—music is more than a tune,

It’s a language of love, a way to commune.

Not just notes on a page, or a skill to pursue,

But something alive between me and you.

And as we head home, something within us has shifted,

Our worries feel smaller, our spirits uplifted.

The melodies linger in ears and in air,

We hum without thinking, the music’s still there.

Not proof of achievement, or something to show,

But something more lasting than we could yet know.

That by simply singing together, uniting in song,

We’ve created a place where we all belong.

And more than belonging, though that would be enough,

Making music, together has opened something up.

A way to feel present. A way to be free.

A way to become who we’re learning to be.