Do you remember watching Sesame Street and loving that song…
sing…sing a song
sing out loud, sing out strong
sing of good things, not bad
sing of happy, not sad
While I don’t always agree with those sentiments, I also could never resist that song. Even now my head is going la la la la la, la la la la la la, la la la la la la laaaaa… And what do you know? Sometimes it works.
Today, for many reasons, I felt overwhelmed at work. Really overwhelmed. Kind of like I felt here. Notice a theme? I just did. Apparently the approach of major religious holidays paired with the fact that yes, it is still winter is not a good combo. Add to that the fact that my team is short two people - which is half the team - well, it’s just surprising that I haven’t thrown my computer out the window. Onto a passing car. Just for spite.
So, there I was, wallowing in my own little Pit of Despair, sure that I would Never Ever Again Have A Good Idea or Be Any Possible Use To Society, when I heard the sirens go off. And I do mean real sirens, not just the ones in my mind. And that means that either a major catastrophe is in the works, or that it’s Wednesday at noon. They do the emergency siren tests then.
Also on Wednesdays at noon? We pray at work. It is a church.
As I gathered myself into that circle, thinking I had nothing to give, knowing only that I had to try by showing up, my pastor surprised me. He has been a constant in my life for many years; I know him well. But today, he pulled something new out of his pocket: he made us sing.
It was a sweet, somewhat silly song that I sang long ago as a teenager in YoungLife - one of those infectious tunes that has a phrase in the chorus that changes every time - someone interjects their own words each go round, something they are thankful for. As funny as it was to sit in that place and sing with each other, it was also great to hear what each person came up with…sunshine, children, home…but that’s not what got me. What got me was singing this line:
…and things are gonna get better…
The first time I was halfway through the line before I even remembered it, realized what I was singing. I choked on the words, unable to finish. But then we sang it, over and over again, and each time I believed it a little more.
gosh, i needed to hear that tonight. this week has been one for the record books. THANK you for sharing that.
by the way, i don’t remember that song from sesame street. i remember it from the carpenters — you know, karen and richard. la la la la la…
Between you and Alison I can’t keep a dry eye today.
baby, at my office whenever we have a rough time, i get all of my team together, and we sing 99 Problems. maybe i should try Craig’s tune… ’cause last time, we ended up bum-rushing the Media team.
I’m glad to see that there was a bright spot for you today. :)
i can’t even begin to count all the times i have sung that song with my daddy. and somehow it always works.
my strongest memory is of singing it with junior high kids as we were climbing a mountain in colorado.
so silly, yet powerful.
i’ll be happy to sing…but you already know that.
millie, you’re always SO generous with your singing talents. thank you, deeply, from the bottom of my heart, for mentioning once again that you would like to sing. I think I might have forgotten for all of 30 seconds…
and dude - I bet y’all totally took the media team. no way are they all giants like you guys…
la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
i’ll sing on here and in my head- sweet millie has already offered to take my post upon the stage.
funny how a song can make you feel better, even on the worst of days. for me, its the baby singing ‘3 wittle monkeys jumpin on a bed’