The Inscription

Hearing Harmony

I was in 5th or 6th grade when I noticed my friend was singing something different than me during our church service. It sounded nice, but it was not the way we had learned the songs. I asked her what she was doing, and she said she was singing the harmony.

I asked, "How do you know the other notes to sing?" She said, "Just listen to the organ. When they play, you can hear different notes all at the same time. You pick a different one to sing instead of what everyone else is singing, and they all blend together."

I started listening, and I could hear it. I could hear the different chords. From that moment on, every time I sang I tried to sing harmony. After a while I just knew which sounds went with each other, and I didn't need the organ to hear it.

Unlike some of my family members, I was never a music major or an incredible singer, but I discovered a gift I never knew was there. It's such a cool moment when you figure something out and realize you have a skill or gift that you never knew existed.

Learning new things about ourselves is exciting, and I look forward to many more chances to learn new things for the rest of my life. Have you ever had a moment of self discovery like that? Email me and tell me about it. I'd love to hear it.

Jen