Music as a Form of Healing

The power of music never ceases to amaze me. I think whether you are a certified music therapist or simply use lyrics and chords to express your emotions, everyone can use music as a way of working through deep feelings that talking cannot explain. Not only was Bonnie's story amazing, but her lyrics really spoke to me personally. My mother's side of the family is Jewish and I know that there were many members of the family that did not survive the Holocaust that I will never know. Additionally there are members of my family that survived the Holocaust but died before I was born so I will never be able to understand what they endured. I think her whole message that her parents never hid anything from her is particularly poignant. I can understand how something could be so painful that you simply cannot share it with your children, however at the same time it seems like you own it to the future generations so they can understand their history. It is an interesting dilemma I can imagine for survivors of any sort of trauma. Personally I think Bonnie's children did the right thing in telling her about their experiences. It is a part of her family and her immediate history and if they did not tell her, there would be gaps of time and people that would be unaccounted for. Eventually all children pick up on things and ask questions. The more dissatisfied they are with the answer, the more inquisitive they become. Therefore I think that by being up front and age appropriate with their responses, Bonnie's parents made the right decision in telling her. However I can sympathize with families who see it differently.