Happy BDay Singing

Can you tell me anyone that can't sing Happy Birthday? I would think that almost anyone can. We all learn this at an early age, and no one is a trained musician, someone just starts singing and everyone joins in. You don't have to know the key, you don't have to sing in pitch, you don't have to play an instrument, just take off and sing the song and it makes the birthday boy or girl feel special, regardless of age. 

So, if you believe this to be true, and you were in a situation where you were very limited to get out of the house, or wherever you are living, you would love a visitor on your birthday right? Maybe you have health issues, maybe mental or physical disabilities, whatever the case, when someone brings a simple song to you, you can't help but be happy! To quote some residents at a nursing home "this made my day, actually this made my whole week special". 

Recently, my buddy Wayne Morris and I were on a quest one day to do "Random Acts of Kindness", and one of our stops was at Chautauqua Health and Rehabilitation in Owensboro, KY, and we sang happy birthday to all of the residents that were celebrating birthdays in August. They have a celebration each month to do that very thing, but we missed it, so we asked if we could come in and go to each resident personally and sing to them, and they loved the idea. 

​We show up, Wayne with his guitar and me with a mandolin, and the activity director assistant took us around the building and one by one, we witnessed again, the power of a simple song and a smile. 

As we walked in the rooms, there was a look of uncertainty, as if they were not sure what was going on. We said "we are here to sing happy birthday to you" and they smiled and still almost looked like they were not for sure about this "singing thing". 

As we started to sing, they soon found out that it was not as bad as they thought it would be. I mean, a bluegrass, upbeat and fast version of happy birthday, well, it just makes you happy. And one room after another, we got to witness the change in them all. 

What started as looks of confusion, thoughts of of not really knowing what was going on, to happiness and smiles was a pleasant surprise. Some were laying in bed sleeping, or just killing time. Others were sitting in there room watching TV or just wasting time, as if they had nothing to look forward to, but all of them lite up like a spot light when someone took the time to come to them and sing. 

​Now let's think about this. We simply walked into their room, sang happy birthday, and left. For most of us, that may make us smile, but for these folks, that made them smile, pop up out of bed, almost could not sit still, moving to the music that was played, and each said "thank you, you changed my whole day".

Let us think about this. Their day could have been lying in bed, getting up long enough to eat half a meal, watch TV, and lay back down. Sounds sad don't it? The sad part is that each one of us has the power to change their day, to make them happy, to spend time with the elderly that can teach us so much, but we don't. The sad part is that we can do something to make their life better, but we don't. We can do something that makes our own life better, as we can all learn from them, make friends, socially connect, but we choose not to. Our wasted time on our phones, sports games, and other time killers, rules our worlds.

I wonder if one day we will be in this position, hoping and praying someone will stop by to visit us, simply smile and talk, play a game, do a craft, or just sing happy birthday? 

Please don't forget me, please don't get so busy that you never make time for me. I know that you have important things to waste you time on, I know that other people are more important, I know that I am on the bottom of you priority list, but just maybe, I can find a friend that will choose to spend time with me. Or else I will die a lonely person, the same way my room mate did, just a few weeks ago. 

You see, you can forget about me, or choose to overlook me, get caught up in your day to day to busy to offer time to me, because really, I'm not worth you time, or so you think. Or you can choose to "MAKE" time for me. Time that you choose not to waste watching TV or whatever else. Time that you can make  difference in not only my life, but yours.

​You may not realize it, but spending time with me actually blesses you. It is a scientific proven fact that volunteering, or serving another person in a way that they could never return, actual benefits your mind, body, and soul. So when you think you are helping me out, know that you are truly helping yourself too. But we can keep that part a secret.