I too have several members of my family who are far more educated and versed in various types of music, one who makes a profession out of singing in choral groups, etc., so I've received some training from them along with many years of practice and a little performance on several different instruments.
But, I would say that for me the most important thing that music does is remind me of certain things, whether they are feelings or thoughts or even events and people from the past. I really enjoy hearing something that is entertaining, but it is even more fun to hear something I haven't in a while and remember the people I was with or that were in my life at the time I last heard that particular song, etc.