The healing power of words.
The wisest words I’ve ever heard came from a three-year-old. My son actually.
He was staying overnight with my sister while I was out of town. She had plans to take him somewhere for a little adventure. In the process of getting ready to leave, she lost her keys. Then another small setback happened. (I honestly don’t remember the details.) She looked down at him and said, “Tyler, when it rains it pours.” He looked back up to her and said in his sweet little three-year-old voice, “Yeah, but when it shines, it shines.”
Don’t you just love that?
I think about those simple words whenever life gets a wee bit overwhelming.
When I was a young Mama and the days seemed long and years seemed short, I would call my own Mom after a really challenging day. (You amazing Mamas out there know the days I’m talking about.) I would relive in great detail all the things I had done in ONE SINGLE DAY, again just overwhelmed with life stuff. She’d calmly listen and then say, “Well, that’s enough of that, what are you making for dinner?” I can’t tell you what a wonderful lesson her words were for me. To this day I still find myself saying those words to myself and others.
Yesterday my niece and I were at her Art Studio. She was telling me that she had joined the choir at her church. She’s an amazing vocalist in addition to having a full time job and being an incredible artist and a wife and mom. I flippantly said, “Oh, because you need one more thing to add to your plate!” She said, “I really don’t mind, singing calms my central nervous system.” I stopped and stood still in my tracks. Yes, yes it does.
Singing and music really do calm our central nervous system.
By the way, I love everything about you, Alice.
I have a little book of words like those from my Mom and my three year old son and my niece that soothe the seams of my soul.
I refer to those words a lot.
So I suggest (with my pollyanna sunglasses on as always), that we all cherish the sun when it shines, (and the rain when it rains for that matter). Try hard not to dwell on the tough messy stuff life shoots at you. And remember, if all else fails sing out loud or dance in your kitchen to really loud music.
Our central nervous systems need all the help they can get.
Love, Robbin
