The reading discussed music as an agent of resilience, with several relevant examples illustrating this role. As people face stress and trauma in many situations, they have devised different methods to cope with stress and develop resilience. The reading portrayed how people have used music effectively and have overcome stressful situations feeling victorious and energized. The reading’s title awakened my mind to the reality of stress and trauma in everyday situations. As the reading started by highlighting examples of persons who were in stressful and traumatic conditions, I could feel a part of it. The reading resonated with my worldview and ignited an interest in the continuous study of the material.
The reading was a careful integration of both interesting and surprising facts that brought out the message powerfully. One exciting part of the reading is the author’s use of familiar examples to introduce the theme. The example of the suffering endured by Martin Luther King and his followers in 1960 piqued my interest (Kent et al. 100). I was amused to see such a real and relevant role of music in developing resilience among people who seemed to have little chances of survival and comfort. This part not only aligned with my belief in resilience but also showed me how music could give people strength and hope in hopeless situations.
The reading also contained some surprising parts that showed me the reality of hardship and suffering in which one must develop resilience for survival. I was surprised to learn that music is not just the words but also the lyrics in the heart and mind. I always associated music with sound, instrumentals, and written lyrics. As I went through the reading, I was surprised to learn that Ludwig Van Beethoven found solace not in the music he heard but in the music he had in his mind and heart (Kent et al. 101). It is amazing how the desire to express his art outwardly gave him the resilience to endure six years of deafness.
The reading is relevant and applicable to my life experiences. At some point in life, I battled with the thought of failure and felt as if life had destined me for suffering. This happened when my sponsor and mentor, who had supported my high school education, died just before I joined college. This was a huge blow that left me wondering how I could manage my college education. At that point, I found comfort in the song “It Is Well With My Soul” by Audrey Assad. Listening to that song assured me that despite the challenging situation, everything would be alright. I started searching for scholarships and started applying. Although I received no response to most of the applications, I was not ready to give up until I found the help I sought.
I can use the reading’s rebounding, sustaining, and growing (RSG) model of resilience in my future stress handling efforts. The RSG model reveals that resilience is not just defined by the response to stress and trauma but also in its influence on positive living (Kent et al. 100). Whenever I find myself in a stressful situation, I will remember that the goal is not just to overcome the problem but also to maintain a healthy life after that. Through the knowledge gained from this reading, I will develop a positive mindset throughout all circumstances.
Work Cited
Kent, Martha, et. al., editors. The Resilience Handbook: Approaches to Stress and Trauma. Routledge, 2013.