My birthday was yesterday and it was one of those landmark birthdays. One of those “Oh my gosh how did I get here?” birthdays. One of those “I’ve outlived my parents and my siblings!” birthdays. One of those “I’m holding fast to Mark Twain’s words: ‘Age is a matter of mind. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter” birthdays. One of those “It does matter because it’s a reminder that I’m not getting any younger” birthdays. And at the same time, it’s also a reminder, as Debbie Reynolds sang in the musical “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” (https://genius.com/Debbie-reynolds-i-aint-down-yet-lyrics) that “I Ain’t Done Yet!” In other words, I’m still here which tells me there are things I have yet to do.
Birthdays rate quite high on the stress-test (which counts ‘distress’ and ‘eustress’) which is often surprising for many people. Birthdays can be HIGH’S: big celebration and they can be LOW’S: the stress of birthday prep; the stress of ‘to get a gift or not’ and if so, ‘what’ gift; the stress of past birthdays that were anything but happy.
I’m someone who asks questions. Then I reflect on my own questions. And when I do, I often come up with more questions because I believe that human beings are meant to bring meaning to life and that in asking questions, in reflecting, we come to know ourselves better, hopefully discover ways we can be better human beings and come closer to understanding the meaning of life for ourselves.
I think that there is ‘meaning’ connected with our birthday. If so, what does your birthday mean for you now? Think back – what did your birthday mean to you when you were five? Remember Danny Kaye singing “I’m five. I’m five. I’m a big boy now, I’m five!”https://www.letssingit.com/danny-kaye-lyrics-i-m-five-gl27rzc) or Barbra Streisand’s “I’m five. I’m five. I’m a big girl now, I’m five!” (https://genius.com/Barbra-streisand-im-five-lyrics)
What did your birthday mean when you were 13 – becoming a teenager? What about 18 / 21 – becoming an adult? What about turning 50 – half a century? What about turning 65 – retirement age? What about the decades / half-decades which follow: 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100+?
I’ve discovered, to my surprise, that my birthdays at each of the above stages had a different meaning to me. This year, one of those decade/half-decade years, has a new meaning. And so I will be doing some self-reflection on the aging process, answer the above questions for myself, and set a goal for the coming year / coming half-decade: a goal that is achievable. At the end of the year/half-decade, I’ll reflect on how that goal was achieved.
The last time I did this on my ‘half-decade birthday,’ my husband had recently died. I was facing an unknown future without him. My goal was two-pronged: breathe and heal. Through the initial grieving, my mantra focused on my breathing, remembering Dame Julian of Norwich’s words “All shall be well. All shall be well. And all manner of thing shall be well” which helped me focus when I didn’t think I could breathe with all of the things that had to be done. Then came the healing – gently stepping into the world as a widow. It is not easy. It takes work.
And yesterday, I arrived at another landmark birthday. What will the next half-decade / decade bring? What will I learn? How many other half-decade / decade birthdays will I have? And how will I mark them?
And those are not just my questions. They can be yours too: what will your next half-decade / decade bring? What will you learn? How many other half-decade / decade birthdays will you have? How will you mark them?
Whatever the answers, may each of us be mindful that each birthday is gift … another day to celebrate being alive; another day to contribute to the world; another day to give thanks and be grateful for at least one thing. Let’s not squander our birthdays; let’s not take our birthdays for granted; let’s not regret our birthdays. Let’s celebrate them! The alternative is … well, who wants to think about not having another birthday?
I believe that birthdays remind us that we are ‘works in progress’ rather than ‘completed’ lives. So, may we celebrate the progress we have made and anticipate the progress we have yet to make.
I remember the day that the wind changed direction and the smoke from the fire was so frighteningly strong that it woke me and my lungs ached.
Over the years, as I watched the news about the fires in the Amazon, Uruguay, Brazil and now the fires in Canada with smoke from those fires being carried by the wind to the United States and even Norway, global concerns about life-destroying fires in general and the impact on climate change and on peoples’ lives was, and is, being stoked.
And not just physical fires.
There is a lot of soul-destroying fire happening in today’s world … leaders and wanna-be leaders whose focus is self-adoration, self-promotion rather than the people … supporters of such leaders who mindlessly follow and don’t stand up to the immorality, lies, dangerous rhetoric and don’t speak up for democracy, justice, compassion … tropical storms and other dangerous weather concerns becoming more and more frequent and stronger … the seemingly never-ending war in Ukraine. The life-destroying and soul-destroying list goes on.
What is the response to these destructive fires? Many no longer read or watch the news because they find it too stressful and their sense of helplessness is reinforced. But, does ignoring the news help reduce the soul-destruction?
If putting a lid on a physical garbage can, filled with festering garbage, only hides the putrid smell, can a similar response happen in putting a lid on an emotional garbage can filled with festering garbage of anger and hatred and fear and resentment and racism and me-me-me-ism?
Tears fall from my eyes and tears cover my heart and my soul as I realize that soul-destroying fires really exist and that lately, they seem to be moving even more quickly. What can I, or others, do?
I find that the tears, the sense of helplessness is diminished by being aware of what is happening, not by ignoring the news … by naming the fears and not letting them fester … by not closing my eyes to the realities … by not stifling conversation about what is happening … by being open to letting Light in, so that healing can begin for this world we inhabit and love.
May every tear shed, every prayer said, every thought expressed, every peaceful protest, every vote count.
May all do what we can to become informed about issues and work to becoming a world of people who listen to the pain beneath the words, who recognize fascism and work for democracy, and who focus on the corporate ‘needs’ of society rather than their individual ‘wants’. It is time to put out the fires that bring body, mind and soul-destruction to people and this planet.
Okay, I admit it. I’m a Broadway musical fan and a Tony Awards fan and the Tony Awards are almost here! Sunday night the popcorn maker will come out, the phone won’t get answered and I’ll be glued to the tv, waiting for snippets of Broadway musicals as the Tony Awards salute excellence in Broadway theatre and the gift of music!
Why title this Soulistry reflection “A Poohian ‘Theology’ of Music”? It’s because music speaks to my soul – nourishes my soul – delights my soul … connects me to the Divine.
Without a doubt, if I were ever able to make a return visit to New York City or London, I would love, love, love to get tickets for some musicals. But as that’s unlikely to happen, Sunday night will do – a night in front of the tv watching the musical performances on the Tony Awards show.
What’s with the “Poohian” in the title? It’s because Winnie the Pooh once said: “Poetry and Hums aren’t things which you get. They’re things which get you. All you have to do is go where they can find you.” (A.A.Milne author of “Winnie the Pooh”) The “poetry and hums” get to us! And when they do, the body expresses emotions being experienced in the soul when fingers rap out a rhythm, toes tap a beat, heads nod, larynx hums a tune or sings out loud.
When the “poetry and hums” get to us, healing can happen. Feelings of sorrow, anger, frustration, fear, rage, passion, grief and even boredom can be relieved. Courage can be awakened. Love, passion, happiness and devotion can be nurtured. Our physical body can become stimulated with increasing blood flow, speed of circulation, muscular energy, and metabolism. And we can be connected with the Source of All Life in a unique way.
Music is gift. Music gifts us with the ability to reflect, remember, and become re-created. Maybe it’s the combined right/left brain activity that takes place when we sing, play instruments or listen to music on the radio, tv, CD’s, stereo or at a concert. Maybe it’s the soul-soaring as hymns are sung, psalms are chanted, sung prayers are offered. Maybe it’s the unique embodiment of art, wisdom, theology and emotional release in word and song that captures our heart and mind. Whatever it is, music appeals to our soul and senses.
Society reminds us that music is a wonderful part of our existence: music awakens astronauts (and many of us) first thing in the morning … music entertains at concerts … music enriches movie experiences … music is often played in stores, elevators, airplanes and even restaurants … and music has an endurance that is retained in the deepest recesses of memory.
Those who have worked with stroke victims and neurological disorders know that people who have forgotten so much (even the names of their partner, children) have been known to play music on the piano, hum the melody of beloved hymns, toe-tap to remembered songs, and respond to meditative choruses.
One of the greatest conductors of all time, Leopold Stokowski, once said that “there are regions so elusive in our life of feeling that only music can express such intangible and sublime visions of beauty.”
There is no doubt that music awakens the soul and that an inner part of ourselves connects directly to the Holy Other whether that music be Rock, Country, Classical, Reggae, Chamber Music, Jazz, Latin, Folk, Celtic, Gospel, Spa Music, Country, Blues, John Philip Sousa marches, Gregorian chant, Chuck Berry, Celine Dion, Paul Anka, Barbra Streisand … whether it be penny whistle, French horn, bass, bagpipe, flute, bassoon, cello, comb and tissue paper or even one’s own whistling!
Music can make us dance and skip, move us to tears, and encourage us to be as happy as Winnie the Pooh on a fine summer’s morn! It’s true, Pooh, music can be a wonderful bridge between the body and soul. “All you have to do is go where they can find you.”
May we make time to go where music can find us. And may we remember that “music gives life to everything” and give voice to the “poetry and hums” that nurture and touch our soul beyond cognitive understanding.
Around the world, fires burn, water rises, tempers flare, workers strike, untruths abound, fear permeates, AI threatens and the war in Ukraine continues.
I discovered the Photofunia App and played with it a bit … placing a watercolour piece I created for the people of Ukraine, surrounded by images of hope – for them and the rest of the world.
May the symbolism of the egg, green leaves and daffodils open hearts and minds to the possibility of life … new life … without forest fires, floods, anger, strikes, lies, fear, threat, war.
Quote “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall.”
Author Confucius (551 – 479 BCE) was a Chinese philosopher whose teaching and philosophy deeply influenced Eastern thought and his thoughts developed into a system known today as Confucianism. He was a strong proponent of building a harmonious society following the well-known philosophy that people ‘do not do to others what they do not want done to themselves’ – a very early “Golden Rule.”
Soul-Questions * In your journal, reflect on the moments of ‘rising’ in your life. Note what you did to bring about that resurrection moment.
*What were the results?
*Consider a time in your life when stresses were such that you became sad, depressed, isolated, distanced from family/support groups/friends and did *not* rise. What consequences were there from that time of ‘rising’?
*Have you ever experienced feelings of guilt at times when you were unable to rise after falling? Journal about those feelings and consider how you might handle such feelings should similar occasions arise in the future
*Reflect on one of the ‘rising’ moments in your life in your journal, noting – your feelings – any consequences – what prompted you to rise
*Reflect on the strength, encouragement, energy, healing you received when you picked yourself up from a difficult time in your life.
The tulip is from my garden and is one of the ones I brought back from the Netherlands. It’s already beginning to wilt – will die – but then next spring, it will “rise again”. The cycle of life.
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How to use “Soulistry Soul-Questions” You may want to begin a Journal so your responses are all in one place. Write the quotation. Add the first question and write your response. Then follow that process for the remaining questions.
Take your time in writing your reply.
It helps to put the date after each Soul-Question response.
Let it go. Let it be. Acceptance. Not fear. Let it be.
Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez wrote the music/lyrics to the ‘Let It Go’ theme song in Disney’s ‘Frozen’ and said that anyone who’s carrying a secret shame that gets so heavy they can’t carry it anymore, is identifying with the idea of “shedding and starting anew.”
If carrying a secret shame that gets heavy If carrying a memory that gets heavy If carrying an anger that gets heavy If carrying a resentment that gets heavy If carrying a regret that gets heavy If carrying a fear that preoccupies and gets heavy If carrying a decision that gets heavy If carrying a burden of any kind that gets heavy Let it go.
Let it be Acceptance. Not fear.
Let it be.
And if it’s difficult – or impossible – to let it go to let it be may professional help be found to guide you to healing, health, wholeness and a place where you can truly Let It Be(e).
