Memories of Music

Author: Ruby Moore

It was my turn to close our service last Wednesday at the Williams Adult Day Center and I decided to sing “You Are My Sunshine.” I was hesitant to play this song because we sing it with the senior citizens almost every Wednesday session, but it's one of their favorites. They close their eyes, sing all the words, and shake their egg shakers for all they are worth.

After singing the goodbye song, one of the participants beckoned me over to where she was sitting. She told me that she loved “You Are My Sunshine” and that she would always sing that song to her granddaughter to put her to bed. She said that her granddaughter hated that song because it always managed to make her fall instantly asleep. She said, "Her head would fall right on the pillow."

It's moments like these that make me stop and think about how meaningful our service is. All it took to bring up a beautiful memory for a senior citizen with dementia was singing “You Are My Sunshine.” Even if all we manage to do on a given day is leave the participants with a tune to hum for the rest of the day, that's pretty amazing in itself. That's why I continue to go back to the Williams Adult Day Center every Wednesday and why I so look forward to seeing their faces and listening to them sing along.