" Sing as though you're summoning the heavens;
silver your voice and bare your throat. "
attributed to ROSHANI CHOKSHI
Happy Friday! It's a beautiful day here. Tulips are just coming out now in our garden. I know some of you have moved on to lilacs and peonies, but we're pretty thrilled with these earlier signs of spring.
Today I plan to carry on the theme I wrote about earlier in the week as Guest Blogger at InScribe—projects that make your heart sing, link HERE. An article came to mind that I published more than a decade ago in a newsletter for consultants in the beauty industry. It's along a similar line, so I decided to share it; I hope you enjoy. Aside: don't you just love that sweet robin in the watercolour above? I found it on Pixabay by Juan Reyes Ruiz.
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From the Archives
DO YOU SING?
" Singing dissipates sorrow. "
ATTRIBUTED TO LAILAH GIFTY AKITA
Many of us may remember the little tune the seven dwarfs whistled in the old Disney movie, Snow White. It seems even these short fellows recognized that their whistling helped make their work feel lighter and easier to bear.
Sometimes we find ourselves in a work situation or project where the song in our heart has died or has been replaced by a weary sighing or, even worse, a growl-y grumbling. We don't feel like whistling or singing anymore. Maybe that's the time when we need to stop and think about what we do every day. Maybe we need to re-consider the current path we're traveling on. Lady Bird Johnson once gave the sage advice that we should work on projects that make our hearts sing.
Ever since I read those words, I tried to let them shape my decisions. I do not believe that life is meant to be a drudgery. I believe that life is meant to be lived beautifully, joyfully. Oh sure, we go through hard experiences, but we don't stay there. The projects we sign up for—voluntarily or as a career—should not dampen our spirits, but rather they should provide a venue for contentment, abiding joy, and a sense of bubbling adventure. They should energize and fuel us, not drizzle on us till there's only a damp smoldering pile where passion once burned bright.
Many years ago now, my song almost died, because I was afraid to move out from a workplace that no longer gave me joy and fulfillment. Life no longer felt beautiful there. To me, a clear signpost whether we are still doing what we should be doing, is whether the song is still in our heart and if life still seems beautiful and sweet.
Many years ago now, my song almost died, because I was afraid to move out from a workplace that no longer gave me joy and fulfillment. Life no longer felt beautiful there. To me, a clear signpost whether we are still doing what we should be doing, is whether the song is still in our heart and if life still seems beautiful and sweet.
If there's no song your heart, maybe it's time to re-think what will make life beautiful again for you. I'm happy to report the nightingale sings again for me. Now I ask you, do you sing?
" I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world
and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day. "
E.B. WHITE
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Wishing you a beautiful weekend,
Brenda
Top Image by Juan Reyes Ruiz from Pixabay
WOW! This describes my experience prior to retirement exactly. My heart used to sing as I drove that school bus, but the last year there was no more song. It definitely was time to say goodbye to that segment of my life. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteRuth, I didn't see your comment until today - it was sitting in my spam file (grrr). Thank you so much for adding your own experience of the time you noticed your song was no more and realized it was time to say goodbye.
Delete"Bubbling adventure." Sign me up, please. Yes, I sing. I sing! Thanks for reminding me that my song makes a difference. Love the E.B. White quote. Thanks for singing into my day, Brenda. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joy, for your note. I've been pondering the E.B. White quotation - thinking that wherever and whenever possible, we need to build a little of each into our daily lives. And if daily isn't possible, at least as often as is possible.
DeleteI'm happy to say that going back to teaching for this semester has made my heart sing! I have thoroughly enjoyed it, but I've also learned that I'm ready for full retirement come the end of June. There are other heart-singing projects that are calling to me. This was a good prompt for the Inscribe blog. I've been thinking of it a lot, and wrote about it earlier today on my own blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your current opportunity to teach this semester was one that made your heart sing. Also glad you had this chance to reaffirm that your desire to retire is what you really want in this season. Time to pursue new heart-singing projects.
DeleteI sing! Rare is the day that I do not sing many times - when I go about my work, as I dry my hair, when Bekah plays the piano, as I listen to music on Spotify. Music is a big part of my life and it is how I worship! Even through dark times, there are songs that I sing . . .
ReplyDeleteLovely thoughts, Cheryl. Like you, I'm so grateful for the comfort of those songs that come in the dark times.
DeleteWhat a lovely post. I have been singing in my heart ever since we moved back to Florida!
ReplyDeleteThat's great news, Penny. Your heart knows where home is!
DeleteYes, yes, I do sing:) There certainly are dark times in a person's life when the song seems to die within. But thankfully, like the ember in the ash, a bit of TLC and the song will always return. Love that sweet birdie watercolor!
ReplyDeleteAlways grateful for those embers in the ash so that with some TLC and the gentle breath of God the song can return. xo
DeleteAdding a note: I'm getting feedback from some readers who are having trouble leaving comments on this blog. I'm sorry to hear it; I'm not sure why that is the case. My comments remain open for anyone to comment as per usual - I didn't make any changes.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I believe Blogger has changed something in the Comments Section. I'm seeing more readers' comments show up as Anonymous instead of with their own names - perhaps that's part of the issue. :(
Thankfully, it's still possible to choose to use your own name (this is if you don't have your own blog with link):
1. Under Comments, select name/url in the drop-down menu;
2. Type in your name, whatever you use in the public arena (eg first name only, whole name, pen name)
3. Ignore the request for your url, if you don't have a link to your own blog or website to include.
4. Type in your comment (I always love hearing from you).
5 Hit the Publish button. And hopefully it should publish, and I'll know who is leaving me a note.
What a lovely post! After being down for a good while, I needed to read this. :)
ReplyDelete-Merry K.
And, yes, I sing. It makes me happy. I’m a proud alto!
DeleteThank you, Merry - I'm glad to hear you are singing!
DeleteThank you so much for coming over to Marmelade Gypsy, Brenda, for it brought me here. What a beautiful blog you have an I so love your philosophy on your welcome page and in this post. When you wrote this: "I do not believe that life is meant to be a drudgery. I believe that life is meant to be lived beautifully, joyfully." I thought, "I really like this woman! We agree on a very important part of life!
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a wonderful week and much joy to you!
Jeanie, I just saw your note today - for some reason it ended up in spam - strange. I'm so glad you stopped by. Thank you so much for your lovely words.
DeleteThanks for this interesting perspective on how to gauge what makes us happy versus when it's time to move on...
ReplyDeleteI'm also still waiting for my peonies to bloom...
Did your peonies bloom already, Margie? Ours are still in those tightly furled balls, but soon they'll be out.
DeleteBrenda such wonderful thoughts on doing what makes our heart sing. Love your thought that life was not meant to be lived in drudgery. Sometimes a regular routine can turn once was a pleasure into a chore. I am thinking every once and awhile we need to do something different even just going home from work a different way. Hope you have a great weekend. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteIt's true, Debbie, sometimes our routines become too commonplace. As you say, it helps to jog things up, like taking a different route home, to see things in a new way, to create a sense of newness. Thanks for stopping by! xo
DeleteThis did remind me of some times in my life where I did undertake some projects where my heart was not in it, beginning with selling Girl Scout cookies as a child. Found out very quickly that I was not a born salesman! It seems that maybe people are better today at being willing to look for another job if they're unhappy than in decades ago where they tended to stay at a job all their life even though miserable. I loved your reference to Lady Bird and including E.B. White, both favorites of mine. I have a feeling that you approach each day with a desire to live it joyfully. It took me far longer than it should have to give myself permission to do that. I enjoyed your thoughts from the archives!
ReplyDeleteSo good to receive your lovely thoughts. Like you, I learned early I was not a salesman at heart. I've learned the art of small chatter, which did not come naturally for me, which I think is a necessary trait to reach out in the sales industry. I'm glad that you can now give yourself permission to live your life more joyfully because you're doing what your heart loves. Thanks for stopping by, Dewena! xo
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