When you are listening to music, oftentimes, it will be easier to pay attention to the musical notes more than the spaces in between. These gaps are called “rests,” and even though they are silent, they are just as much a part of the song. Of course, our lives are much longer than the length of a song, but when you consider the ways we move through our days, moments of transition, and quiet pauses, there is something to be learned from the significance of rests in music. This is especially true considering that the in-between moments in the songs are the ones that get overlooked, and yet, they are essential to the rhythm and flow of the music.
Try to listen for the pauses in the music wherever you can find them. For it’s not just the big moments that matter. Learning to live in the in-between moments matters, too. Some transitions speak in subtle ways.
-Morgan Harper Nichols
