What's in a Leap of Faith?

For me, something as simple as music can invoke a leap of faith.

Do you know the little tune This Little Light of Mine?  I love that song.  Sometimes I just hear it in my head over and over again.  It goes ... "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine.  This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine.  Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine."  If you don't know this song check out Odetta at the 2008 Music Has Power Awards.

I love it for two reasons.

First, when I sing it for myself, I always seem to start resonating with happiness.  A smile creeps across my face and my body bounces to the melody.  I get a feeling of being expanded in some way - hard to describe.

Secondly, I love to play with the tune and make it my own little dittie.  I play with the melody - changing parts, changing lyrics.  And as I get carried away singing it to myself, I find that that I sometimes actually lose myself within the notes.

So why is that?  How does a simple little song invoke a mental and physiological change?

I admit that I don't know all the "how's" and "why's".  I do know, however, that music, as a therapy, is greatly respected in the field of medicine and has been utilized as such for many years now.  Just take a look at what Oliver Sacks at the 2006 Music Has Power Awards had to say about music therapy at Beth Abraham Health Services.

I've noticed that we just seem to accept certain things because of how we personally respond to them.  For me, I know that music is a powerful healing force.  I don't have to look at the research.  No one has to tell me that it works.  I just know that it does.  It's my leap of faith.  I can feel it and so it is true for me.

I think that there are many things that happen to us during our daily lives that can invoke a "leap of faith" on our part.  It may come to you as a feeling, or perhaps as an inner voice - that gut reaction people talk about experiencing.  If we trust it - we take that leap of faith.

When have you taken a leap of faith?