I Forgot...

... that singing makes me quite happy.

I can't remember the last time I just sang, with no one listening, just for me, until just a minute ago.

When I was in high school I used to get home before anyone else in my family and I would walk around the house singing as loudly as I wanted, with music, without music, to whatever song was on my heart.  I perfected a soulful rendition of Amazing Grace.  I went through a Celine Dion phase.  I always loved singing along with Ella Fitzgerald.  But I just sang, for me, with no one listening. 

Singing during worship time at church is almost always my favorite part of the service, especially these days, as our worship team has really started to come together and do some great things musically.  But I don't always make it to church, so I don't always get that outlet.  In college I quit singing at church for a while, anyway, because I decided I was singing too much for me and not enough for God.  So now I still sometimes stay quiet, when I realize I'm thinking about if I sound good, instead of thinking about what I'm singing and to whom I'm singing.

I used to be car singer, but these days, I'm either on the phone when I drive (not texting, talking) or listening to a sermon or something talk-y on the radio.  I never remember to bring my iPod and play sing-along-with-me songs. 

And most of the time, I'm at work or with people, so I just don't get a chance to sing.

This morning I'm in my classroom working.  I have all the flourescent lights off, the blinds open, and the lamps lit.  There's a pumpkin spice candle on the candle warmer, the scent creating a sense of fall and warmth.  Pandora is playing a channel of mellow, beautiful, soulful, songs, and I'm working.  Tidying, lesson planning, being productive.  The atmosphere, if I do say so myself, is pretty darn peaceful, fun, amazing.  A song came on, one that I used to car-sing quite frequently, and, without realizing it, I was singing.  It was automatic.  After a moment, I stopped working, stopped moving, and just sang.

And it made my heart happy.

Strange how I forget that singing is healthy for my heart, and that I don't take the time to do it more often.  Why do I talk on the phone in the car, when I could sing? I need to remember this.

It was just one of those moments where I felt this pure, inexplicable joy.  I had to share it.

Do something that makes you happy, today, even if just for a few minutes.

Disclaimer: I am not saying I am an amazing singer, although I'm not bad either.  I just love singing.

And, just because I can, and I apparently feel the need to be a little humiliated, please enjoy this video of a student and I singing last year at an Acoustic Cafe.  I screwed up, but we laughed, and moved on.  Something about those high school kids freaked me out.  :)  Clearly it's a cell phone video, so the quality is atrocious.   Enjoy anyway.