An ear pod to musical heaven

"What's that you have in your ear?" my mother asked me.

We were on our way home from a family event in New York City in March 2009. Larry was driving, my sister, Laura, was in the passenger seat and I was sitting in the back with my mom. "This is my iPod. I can listen to music on it," I responded.

"Can I try?"

"Of course!"

I removed the earbuds from my ears and put them in my mother's. Then I scrolled through my playlist. Nearly 90 percent were Broadway musicals. I knew my mom would love them.

For the next two hours, my mom was in Broadway heaven. She zoned out on the music, sometimes singing...