Harmony – my word for 2025

Harmony by Stuart Kestenbaum

You know the Beatles could have
afforded another microphone,

but George would always stand
in the middle and step up to

Paul’s when it was time to
join in. Because that’s the way

harmony is, you need to share the
electricity, the voice, the words.

Just the way we do when we drive
in our cars with the radio on,

the windows rolled down with fall in the
air, dead leaves swirling in the wake,

or in the spring, the earth damp and soft,
the air hazy with pollen. We hear

the song that moves us, crank the
radio and sing along, at the top of

our lungs, as if we just joined
the group. In tune out of tune,

country western, rock and roll, we want
to harmonize. A whole country of

would-be stars losing love, finding love
with the radio in different

cars, on different paths, the dark
road rumbling beneath.

Harmony

It is interesting how you come to a word. I was sent a randomly drawn word from a friend for 2025, and it was Harmony. I had also previously chosen it for myself partially because of the lack of harmony in the world and how I might interact with this reality.

As I investigated the word’s etymology, I was reminded that it is primarily based on music.

“late 14c., “combination of tones pleasing to the ear,” from Old French harmonie, armonie “harmony,” also the name of a musical instrument (12c.), from Latin harmonia, from Greek harmonia “agreement, concord of sounds…” from website etymonline.com The Oxford dictionary is considered to be the best source of root words and you need to buy a subscription so this site is considered reliable and it is free.

We use the word beyond its origins in music in a wide array of disciplines, from mathematics to psychology to world order…for this year, I am looking for what I can do in what seems at first blush a time of disharmony.  Consequently, I am choosing to return to music as one practice and will invite more live music into my life. I looked to see what might be available beyond paid subscriptions in Ottawa, and I found this event for next week:

Signed exclusively to Decca Classics in 2020 at the age of 24, American violinist Randall Goosby is acclaimed for the sensitivity and intensity of his musicianship alongside his determination to make music more inclusive and accessible, as well as bringing the music of under-represented composers to light.

While in Ottawa for his NAC debut, he will perform Florence Price’s Violin Concerto No. 2, inspired by jazz, spirituals, and Chicago blues, in a concert program featuring tales of rebellion and forgiveness.(At the University of Ottawa January 16 at 1:00. Free event) It seems like a good place to start.

Another possibility is to set aside time in your favourite chair at home and enjoy a complete concert by a favourite composer. Although my word is harmony, this article in the New York Times, Schubert is the Best Cure I Know for Loneliness, peripherally addresses my sentiment.  “If you feel alone — because of holiday anxiety, political uncertainty, life circumstances, or simply because you are a person — I implore you: Listen to Schubert. He offers his soul to the listener, without armor or guile. He is our best friend.” Jonathan Biss, author of the article.

Whatever music creates harmony for you is what to listen to; it certainly doesn’t need to be classical. (for some, it is Heavy Metal)

Nature

A few family members went for a morning walk at Mer Bleue during the holiday. “The 3,500-hectare Mer Bleue conservation area provides a unique opportunity to see a northern boreal landscape. The Mer Bleue Bog is approximately 7,700 years old and is a habitat for many species of regionally and significantly rare plants, birds and other wildlife.”  (banner photo) There was a brisk wind and icy paths that day, and it was utterly refreshing. So glad we drove the 30 minutes to visit this natural wetland. And this is what we saw shortly after getting back on the highway to return home—a lovely gift on the last day of the year.

Ultimately, I am looking for different ways to bring harmony into my everyday life—small, ordinary, quiet ways that can easily go unnoticed.

The Basics

It is easy to overlook food, water, sleep, and body movement. I am not about to advise you on what to do. We all have a plethora of information. I am just giving myself and us a little nudge to translate some of that knowledge into action. If I pay attention, my body gives me feedback on what it needs to live with ease and harmony. This, again, is something that I can control- my actions, not the results. But even though I can’t control outcomes, I experience an improvement in the quality of my everyday life when I lead a more mindful lifestyle. I want to remind us that one size doesn’t fit all, and that’s where the value of paying attention lies. We can avoid repeatedly falling into the same holes if we pay attention to our experience. And trust ourselves.