A few semesters ago, I decided to take a music appreciation class. I had always loved to sing and listen to music. I thought it would be fun to expand my knowledge.

The very first time the class met, the professor asked us, "What is music?" Silence. None of us had ever thought about this before. I started searching my brain for a good answer.

We all knew what music was in the concrete sense. It's an organized series of sounds denoted by little symbols on paper. I decided that would be a good starting place. But why are they organized? How important is the organization? After careful thought, and after hearing my classmates' guesses, I finally raised my hand.

"Yes?" said the professor. "Tell us. What is music?"

"Music," I began, "is an series of sounds specifically organized to convey a meaning or emotion in a way it could never be conveyed otherwise."

In other words, music is the way we communicate when language just isn't enough. It goes above and beyond our normal means of reaching out to one another. It opens a window, letting others see our true souls.

The class liked my explanation, but more important than that, I had learned something. I really felt I'd discovered the true nature of music and now, I find myself able to appreciate it so much more.