SING A NEW SONG

This past Fall, I was on an extended road trip from Alabama to New Jersey, stopping at a couple of points in-between. As I drove this rented car, I listened to a variety of music to entertain myself and pass the miles away.

An "oldie goldie" came on and I sang along as if singing was actually my gift.

Loud and strong, I crooned, "I Found Love on a Two-Way Street" - I'm grinning, "But lost it on a lonely highway" - suddenly, my whole demeanor changed.

Memories began to flood my mind.

I stopped making my musical racket to just listen to the rest of the selection.

Back pedaling down memory lane, I began to remember every love lost, the many heartbreaks and several passing flings.

My smile dissipated. In its place was a sullen, droopy face that turned into a reservoir for the tears that began to drop before I could re-route my thoughts.

Re-route?

Yes, I had gone into forbidden territory. I was trespassing into an emotion that I was not needing to travel to.

Lo and behold, 'Tears of a Clown' came on next to further fuel my downward spiral. For a few seconds, I thought I would have to pull over in Back Swamp, South Carolina to have myself a good cry, without endangering fellow travellers.

I kept driving.

Because I did not have satellite radio, the signal soon became fuzzy. I had gotten out of range and was forced to find another station.

Fortunately for me and my shirt sleeve, I landed on a Gospel station this time. I heard 'His eye is on the sparrow'. That did much for my disposition. Then, I listened to, 'Grateful' (Hezekiah Walker) and I had to be mindful of the speedometer - as my mood picked up, so did my speed.

I learned something from that experience:

Some songs (people) had their places in my past, and that's where they should remain. I never cried over that old song when it was first released. It was only in the lament for things no longer within my grasp that I became sad.

That's when we need to sing a new song. That's when we need to turn our reflections onto what we currently have that is good and pleasing, not what we no longer have and cannot regain.

Sing a new song, one of Hope, one of Joy, one of LOVE.

When you find that the song you used to sing brings you down, it's time to SING A NEW SONG!