Today’s assignment at Teachers Write! was to write for two minutes describing a very specific place. I thought about a number of places I might want to write about, but got busy with my day without making a decision. (Or writing anything, for that matter!) Then, on my way home, I heard a story on NPR that gave me my writing topic for today.

I love NPR’s quirky stories that bring tears to your eyes. This afternoon, I listened to “Remembering Mom and Dad’s Record Collection” as Mike Huckabee talked about how much his mother loved Glenn Miller. His comments got me thinking about the soundtrack of my childhood. We had a small portable record player on a metal stand in the dining room. My parents had different tastes in music, but there was no question that they both loved it. My mother was a Glenn Miller fan, too, and she played his records when she cooked and cleaned. She listened to other big bands and singers from the forties, but Glenn was definitely her favorite. She also loved soundtracks, especially “The Sound of Music.” My father, on the other hand, was a country and western fan.

So did any of these tunes have a lasting impact on my life? Absolutely. I still love harmonies and ballads. When I first heard She & Him (on NPR, of course!), tears came to my eyes. Their retro sound automatically brought me back to that sun-drenched dining room of the 60s, listening to that little blue record player. I don’t think I could ever choose just one song as my favorite or one that had a huge influence on my life. But, of all the songs my parents shared with me, and that I shared with my children, there is one that sums up my wish for them as they make their way in the world.

Thank you, Mom & Dad, for enriching my life with music.