Is Music Important?

With illness being such a large part of my life, sometimes I struggle with the idea that I am not necessarily 'productive' in the eyes of society.

Then, while reading an incredible historical fiction novel about the first World War, it reminds me how important music, art, poetry, and stories can truly be.
Today it seems as though art and music are viewed only as luxuries, and that pursuing education with these majors is ludicrous.
On one hand, it is true that they are not exactly practical. Even when I did my degree I wanted to make sure I had some more practical education that would back up a more secure job or career once I graduated. That thought process is mostly derived from the idea that putting all effort into one plan, one type of vocation, can go wrong, and to always have a back-up plan and different options.
How unusual is it that the Psychology portion of my combined degree is actually utilized FAR LESS than the Music portion. My health hindered my ability to get a Masters degree in Psychology, so it also reduced my ability to follow that avenue.

Back to my original point:
Music tends to be viewed as a frivolity, and not deeply important.

And yet - what is one of the first things people do when they enter a vehicle? They turn on the radio! When someone buys a new car, they immediately set the time and the radio station presets. Music is played nonstop in hotels, malls, restaurants, even elevators. There is music while we wait on hold for a telephone call. The music brings out the intensity of any scene in a movie or television show. Commercials would be utterly lost without their jingles and background music.
When we are down and we want to pump ourselves up to feel better - music is often involved. When we have a long road trip to take, we make sure music is tailored to our tastes for the lengthy voyage. We pick what music is played during weddings. We carefully choose which songs should be played during funeral services.
Could you even imagine walking through a mall or being on hold without any kind of music, simply dead air?? Or having no Christmas carols during the holidays, no music at a wedding reception? It would feel empty; vacant; deserted.

Reading this novel about how much the soldiers (and everyone involved in those terrible wars) appreciated a letter, a poem, a song, a play, or any artform to lift their spirits, is a huge reminder of how music has become a pillar in our existence.

Music, art, poetry, theater, dance, imagination - these are all artforms that can transform a situation and transport a person to anywhere.

Making a career providing music may not seem practical, but it is magical, and I am lucky and unbelievably proud to be educated in such an artform.