Dear Reader Column 12-22-04

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Dear Reader,

I was having lunch with a friend and as I was telling her how
great the tomato-basil soup was, she interrupted. "I know
this sounds strange, Suzanne, but I was thinking about it the
other day. I don't think most people are as happy as they could be--
because they've stopped singing. When I was a kid, I used to sing
all the time. I wasn't very good at it, but it didn't matter. But
then when I was eight years old, I decided I was too old to sing out
loud. I think I lost some of my happiness that day."

I wasn't quite sure what prompted her to tell me that story,
but it did stick with me. And last week when I was in the CD aisle
at a bookstore and saw a burly-looking guy with headphones on--
turned way up--singing with reckless abandon, I immediately
thought of my friend.

I couldn't help but look at the singing wonder in front of me. And
he didn't seem to mind, because when he saw me, he smiled. I wasn't
looking his way because I thought he was weird. Actually, I admired
him. You've got to feel pretty comfortable in your own skin to sing
along. And obviously it just came naturally to him.

When I was a kid we used to sing the song, "If You're Happy and You
Know It". If I recall it went like this:

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap clap)
If you're happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it.
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands, stomp your feet,
shout "Hurray!". (clap clap)

See you in the music aisle!

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.DearReader.com

P.S. I'm out of town this week, but I leave you with gifts. Well,
actually author Douglas Clegg is doing the gift giving. His new
book, Afterlife was just released, and he was kind enough to sign
10 copies. If you'd like to win a copy of Afterlife, just send me
an email, include your mailing address and you might be one of the
lucky winners.

Comments

[TJ Weeks]

Suzanne,
Thanks.

I was studying for a test today at work, listening to one of my favorite musical artists on my company-provided iPAQ, and read your Dear Reader column about singing out loud. It struck a chord with me. In a single beat, several decades flashed through my thoughts and I recognized how long it's been since I let myself go with abandon in such a small way. Therefore, I dove in and sang along, quietly at first, then more fluidly and naturally. Funny how it comes back.

This has also made me more determined to pick up guitar lessons again. It's been since 197- that I last attempted to play. I've been giving it more thought and have decided to purchase a good Ovation early this next year and learn to play again. That way, when I want to 'belt out a tune' I'll have some accompaniment!

God bless you abundantly during the holidays and in the coming years,
TJ ?:-]