I Sing Because I’m Happy

Someone I follow on Twitter posted a quote that said, “Birds don’t sing because they have an answer.  They sing because they have a song.”  I have never heard that one before, but it struck a chord with me and immediately led me to think about my younger brother Tony.  As long as I’ve known him, Tony has had a song in him. Even as a five year old with a cracking voice he knew that was what he loved and that’s what he did.  Today Tony and his voice have both matured and as I’ve watched him over the years he has inspired me, because in everything he does, he sings.

Of course when we were younger I can’t say I always felt this way.  Back then it was easy to acknowledge that he had talent, but he used to drive me crazy sometimes because he was always singing.  You could ask him a question and he would try to turn it into a song.  I’d ask, “Tony, what time is it?”  And he’d come back at me like Boyz II Men. “Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive OOOOOOOOh Clozzidooowoppy-ock”.  Sometimes I would laugh and sometimes I wanted to choke him.  “JUST TALK D*** IT! Do you have to sing everything?”  The answer is that he did because he was given a song to sing and he was preparing for it every chance he got

Now, as I look back on life I understand that Tony knew then what we all learn at some point in life–that we all have a song in us.  And just like those birds we’re here to add joy to other’s lives by letting it out.  Our song may not be musical.  It can be anything.  Maybe you were made to travel or to build skyscrapers.  Perhaps you make awesome potato salad, baked beans, and corn bread.  If that’s your talent, mine is eating.  The point is we all have something in us that brings value to other people’s lives when we share it and through it we find joy. Whatever that is, it is our song.  What’s yours?

Mine is obviously writing and if you’re in earshot, it is talking.  You could call me a communicator.  I love it when people figure out ways to understand each other.  But until recently, I didn’t know that was my song.  I’d hear my brother sing and wish that I had something like that or I’d look at Kelly’s photography and see how she brings joy to people through capturing the best moments of their lives.  But when it came to my communicating, I just thought that it was something that I did when the situation presented itself.  This blog has helped me to see it a little differently.  By putting this out there and getting some feedback from the visitors here, I have accepted that ministry is my song as well.

Somehow I have been able to hold off on saying that I am here to minister for a long time.  I’ve hinted at it and gotten close before, but I have now finally taken the leap and there is no going back.  I know now that to go back is to deny my right to a joyful life.  I can’t do that to myself or others.  The amazing thing is that as soon as I acknowledged what was inside of me, it became clear to me that I have been working toward this all along.  Everything I have done so far has been preparing me  for this role–even the jobs I have chosen up to this point.  I think my current job pretty much put the icing on the cake.  I spend a lot of time talking to people who are feeling really down about the job market and I try to help them see the bright side.  I also do a lot of writing and “evangelizing” (industry term) on social media.  I see that all of this was my warm up.

I’m sharing this with you because perhaps somewhere inside of you, you may think that you are off course.  Perhaps you think that you’ve gone too far and it’s too late to find your song.  I want you to know that I don’t think that it is.  In my experience, I was the only thing blocking me from seeing how close I truly was to singing my song.  So I ask you again, what is your song?  I encourage you to sing today.  I’m certain that there are many people waiting to dance to your tune.