Before They Know Why They Came

Week One at Music Together

Families arrive, leave our shoes by the wall,

Not yet fully sure of the gist of it all.

We sit in a circle, the music begins,

Some parents lean forward, some fold themselves in.

We start singing together, some eager, some shy,

Our voices unsure, but willing to try.

One child is cautious, another is free,

One gives us the side eye, a look of deep scrutiny.

Toddlers start bouncing to their own beat,

We’re invited to join them, up on our feet.

Aware of each other, our movements unite,

There is cooing and squealing, the sounds of delight.

“Unicorn!” a child suggests with a giggle,

We nicker and neigh with a whoosh and a wiggle.

We try every motion, with chutzpah, not skill,

We laugh and keep going—no requirement to fill.

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

Sweet singing voices and a loud, certain “NO.”

And no one stops singing. No one corrects.

No gold stars are given. No progress is checked.

Catching onto the melody, the rhythm, the groove,

We remember how good it feels just to move.

A deep breath, an exhale — I feel a shift,

Not easy to name, a spark or a lift.

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

Making music no longer feels like a “to do.”

My voice among voices — the space fills with our sound,

It touches something in us that lay waiting, unfound.

Soon lullabies come with a tender embrace,

A moment of stillness held safely in place.

We share in the moment and the gift of affection,

In our circle of families, a deepening connection.

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 I head home, something in me has shifted,

My worries feel smaller, my spirits uplifted.

The melody lingers in my ears, in the air,

I hum without thinking — the music’s still there.

Not a badge for achievement, or something to show,

But something more lasting than I 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 alone is enough,

Making music together has opened something up.

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

Reawakening the music

inside of me.