“Do you believe what you are seeing?”
It took me two looks in every direction to realize that the comment was directed towards the visible feet on the dashboard in the car next to me on the road. I looked again and caught myself smiling. I could imagine the music playing, the two in the car singing along, blissfully unaware of anyone outside their world.
The visuals, especially on a warm day with the sun shining, light breeze, scattered clouds, and a blue sky, took me back to my childhood. Several tunes dominated my memories, especially ones by the Beach Boys and one of the best sing-along-in-a-car with friends etched in my mind by the Lovin Spoonful, “Summer in the City”.
It is good to do things with friends. There is no exclusivity to celebrating and enjoying life. It is something we can and should do with others! From hanging out, celebrating birthdays, and yes, even singing along in the car, life is better when you are able to share it with others.
Memories are life’s way of reminding you of hope and possibilities, especially when it is hard to see either. It is easy to lose sight of what the freedom within us given the chaos and main that always seems to be closer than we would like. Memories, especially ones triggered by the innocent actions of others, are gateways to a fresh way of seeing the moment at hand.
Life is not always perfect. The great part of singing along side fun music and friends starts with the lightness of spirit and emotions invoked by being a part of it all. Rarely did my feet stay on the dashboard. I always ended up singing, trying to dance, and using anything as an instrument for hand percussion. It was never pretty, but it was fun.
Even now, I find myself typing with a bit of rhythm, singing to myself, and looking at life with a smile. “Let’s hear it from Sky, with Earth joining in, and a huge round of applause from Sea.” (Psalm 96.11)
