When I was a kid I loved music, just like most kids.

It was always an exciting time when I could go to the music store to buy another record.

Remember 45 rpm records?

Remember when a record store was one of the most popular places in town?

I remember what fun it was to play some new records until I could narrow it down to the one I wanted to buy.

When I got it home I played that new record over and over.

Do you remember how much a single 45 rpm record cost in the 1950s?

I thought it was $2 in the late ’50s and Internet research confirmed it. Two dollars gave us a lot of pleasure.

Some readers claimed back then they could buy a 45 record for 65 cents to a dollar but I don’t remember ever getting a popular record for that price.

The 45 rpm format revolutionized pop music. I loved the convenience of those little record players.

It was only after I grew fond of classical music that I had to switch to a player that could accommodate the bigger 78 rpm records.

But my heart always remained true to the popular hits of the ’50s. It is by playing that music that I feel like a kid again.

Music has the power to transform us, turning our older self into a teenager.

What amazes me is how a song from yesteryear can bring back the exact feelings we had when we first listened to it.

I have a vivid memory of being away on vacation listening to Unchained Melody. When I thought about my boyfriend back in my hometown the words from the song resonated with me.

“Are you still mine?”

Today, when I hear the hauntingly beautiful Unchained Melody, I feel the uncertainty I felt back then. Was he still mine?

When I got back from vacation I learned the answer was no. He found a new girlfriend while I was gone. But that was OK because as fickle teenagers our feelings were fleeting.

When I was a so-called adult with children of my own I actually had to force myself to stop playing ’50s music.

My daughter was right when she said I would be stuck in ’50s without knowing current music.

To this day I like dancing to the song, lost in the ’50s.

Like many others, I did buy a new stereo to play tapes as well as records. I loved that machine and played it faithfully until it got destroyed in the recent hurricane.

That’s when I discovered how out of date and behind the times I was.

When I complained to my daughters that I couldn’t find any CD players for all my tapes they informed me no one used CD players anymore.

That’s when they started talking a language I didn’t understand.

They told me with Spotify I could have any song I wanted at my finger tips.

I’m probably one of the last people in America to learn about Spotify.

That’s what happens when your children and grandchildren don’t live nearby. You don’t learn “what’s new.”

But I did learn about Siri and Alexa. I learned they know just about anything and they share it with me when I ask.

I was delighted to learn I don’t need a record player, tapes or any electronic device to listen to music.

The little Nest gadget that sits on my table will help me hear any music I want.

All I have to do is say, “Hey Alexa, play Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody or a Theme of Paganini” and the beautiful music will fill my living room.

If I don’t like the version Alexa plays I just request a different one. No records needed.

If I sound like an out of touch old person, that’s only because I am one.

But I sure am enjoying having Alexa answer any question I have, regardless of how remote or obscure it is.

Besides not having kids around to keep me up to date, I also have the personal liability of being reluctant to try new things.

It took me years to get around to trying YouTube. It was only when I asked google where I could find Andrea Bocelli concerts that I was led to the treasure trove of music on YouTube.

Now, instead of falling asleep after watching a movie, I end each night by listening to soothing music and seeing some of the incredible scenery of Italy.

What surprised me was the effect that change of routine had on my sleep habits. I now have such peaceful sleep and feel a sense of well-being when I wake.

AARP just published several articles on how music improves lives. A scientific study concludes music has a positive effect on brain health. It improves lives, including people with dementia.

I saw this happen when a DJ presented a program for dementia patients. Most were slumped in wheelchairs and didn’t seem to be aware of their surroundings.

But when the DJ played music from their era, they perked up and smiled. Some even started mouthing the words.

A noted physical therapist told his audience the best way for older folks to maintain movement: Dance to music.

Keep music in your life. It does more than pleasing your senses.

Contact Pattie Mihalik at newsgirl@comcast.net.