The Sound of Morning

When I was a youngster, I woke to the smell of coffee wafting through the house and when I went downstairs, I would hear the percolator doing it's work. This, to me, is the sound and smell of home. It is the sound and smell of love.

I am not sure how my children will one day describe the sound of "home," but I know our "morning songs" will be a part of it. I have shared previously about our "morning soundtrack." When I put the soundtrack together, I had no idea how much a part of our life it would become. Back then, in the hot summer, it was just fun.

Now 7 months into the school year, this playlist is a pivotal part of our life. When it's time for the kids to wake up, I make my latte, turn on the lights and start the music. Slowly, the kids emerge. Everyone has their favorite song and our list has grown from 15 to 27 pieces. Occasionally, one of the kids will say, "you need to add that song to our morning" and so on it grows. Tinker requested "I Can See Clearly Now" when I was jamming out to 70s tunes on a Throwback Thursday. The Blitz was humming "You've Got a Friend in Me" (Toy Story) and said, "put that on the list, Mommy!"

What I love about it is that it brings a smile to our faces. Our mornings seem to go smoother with the music. From time to time we all stop what we're doing to dance or sing to a song. Yes, it's as sappy and sickly sweet as it sounds. These songs stand for togetherness; they are a uniting force in our lives. It's not all roses. There a couple of songs on there that Pepper can't stand but tolerates. There was one Lionel Richie song that over time became so creepy to both Pepper and me that we had to take it off!

This morning, school was postponed for two hours so I didn't start the music. The Blitz sat across from me at the table bobbing his head around.

"Whatcha doing, Buddy?" I finally asked.

"I'm singing "You are my Sunshine" in my brain, Mommy! Can you turn it on please? Because you are my sunshine."

Heart: Melted. Soundtrack: On.

What is the soundtrack of your morning?

PS - If you care to know, here is our list today:

Good Morning (LP Version) - Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor & Gene Kelly
Good Morning - (feat. TobyMac) Mandisa & tobyMac
First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes
Good Morning Beautiful - Steve Holy
Good Morning - The Kiboomers
Good Morning Good Morning - The Beatles
Holy As a Day Is Spent - Carrie Newcomer
Good Morning (Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium) Aaron Zigman & Alexandre Desplat A
New Day - Corey Smith
Let Your Light Shine - Joe McDermott
Brand New Day - Joshua Radin
Good Day Sunshine - The Beatles
You Are the Sunshine of My Life - Stevie Wonder
You Are My Sunshine - Gene Autry
New Day - River Valley Church
Day By Day - Anna Maria Perez de Taglé & Godspell Ensemble
Zip a Dee Doo Dah- Bing Crosby
Oh Sweet Lorraine - Jacob Colgan and Fred Staubaugh
A Beautiful Morning - The Rascals
I Can See Clearly Now - Jimmy Cliff
Sunshine - G Love
Morning Has Broken - Cat Stevens
Happy Together - The Turtles
Beautiful - Gordon Lightfoot
Bleecker Street - Simon and Garfunkel
You've Got a Friend in Me - Toy Story
La Vie En Rose - Cristin Milotti

"Fix You"

The band, Coldplay, has a popular song called "Fix You."  The song has a haunting and memorable tune, but the lyrics are challenging.  I keep trying to like this song.  I've read the lyrics several times and aside from the fact that the "story" is illusive at best, it's the whole notion of fix you  that bothers me.

I don't think Coldplay was trying to make some grand statement with the song.  I suspect they were just trying to make an album!  Yet every time I hear my kids humming the tune, I shudder a bit.  I find off-putting the notion that when a person is hurting, another can put them back together.  It's a fallacy of youth.  It's an idealistic view of love that says loving someone means being able to make it "all better" for them.

It turns out that with 5 kids, someone almost always needs something in the way of attention or intervention.  Someone in particular, needs more for some period of time.  And as a mother, I'm wired to try to -- well -- fix it. Usually I can do something to help but what is becoming increasingly clear is that I cannot fix it -- whatever "it" is -- because, in fact, "it" is not broken.

Whatever it is I have to overcome today is my lesson to learn.  You can take Muhammad to the mountain but you can't climb it for him. Each and every one of my challenges is there for me to conquer or be conquered by and in the end, I will be a more whole person for engaging in the battle.

If I "fix" something for one of my kids, life will just turn up the volume, and eventually they will still have to climb that mountain for themselves.  Often I wish it weren't true but I know it's for the best.  I think a sign of maturity is realizing that challenges really are opportunities to grow and that an easy life is one in which we aren't learning very much. 

So let's have a deal.  You come to me any time you need an ear and I will listen.  [If I temporarily forget and try to "fix you" you can remind me!]  Then after you have had your say, I will lovingly but firmly support you to climb that mountain for yourself.  If you need some climbing suppliers, let me know!