I’ve lost my reading mojo in the last few weeks. I know it will return, but for now, the thought of reading a print book or even listening to an audiobook, does not bring the joy and excitement it once did.
What am I doing instead? Revisiting old albums of my youth.
My sister and I talked about this yesterday and we both had the same name pop into our heads: Brené Brown. One of her ideas that I love is the value and importance of community singing. We did choral music k-8 at school. I was part of my school and church choirs. And it all stopped in high school. Maybe that’s part of the reason why teenagers get sointo their music.
In any case, my sister and I were talking about how we sing to ourselves. We’ve both been listening and singing to full albums and, it amazes me how I can remember so many of the lyrics.
It turns out, there was a particular artist we have both been listening to lately and my sister mentioned a particular song. I’d been listening to a different album, but her mention of that one brought me back to my year in Denmark and the friend I had who was also a fan of this artist.
When my video chat with my sister ended I knew what I had to do. I pulled out the album she’s mentioned and listened to it. Then I went back to the song she mentioned and grabbed my phone. The chorus has a bit that Brené Brown would call “high lonesome” and I knew Richard could do it. I played the song and knelt beside my sleepy dog on the couch. I made a low “Oooooo” in his ear.
One eye opened.
The song continued and I oooooed some more. His lips puckered and sound began in his throat.It took a few tries, but I got Richard’s high lonesome howl just as the artist got there. I sent it to my sister.
Community singing may have changed in these weird times we are living, but it’s power and magic haven’t disappeared.
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