March 26, 2012

Stroll, Strut, & Stumble.

Last semester I was walking from the campus bookstore up to the cafeteria. I was by my self and I was enjoying the walk uphill. To give some perspective, just know that a part of the hill is so steep that they had to add stairs just to make it climbable. I passed the section of stairs and was almost to the top when a good friend of mine waved me down and stopped to chat. She informed me that she recognized me a few steps after I left the store. It was not by the clothing I was wearing, nor was it because my friend has excellent vision, no, as she put it, it was due to the "pep" in my "step". I don't go out of my way to walk a certain way, so naturally I began to think of possible causes to my animated walking habit. 

It is not due to certain shoes, it's a long time habit, not something new. 

I left that thought on the back burner and returned to listening to the song in my head. On my walk with Amanda this Saturday this thought found it's way back to my mind. Between the birds singing, my friend's many things to tell me, and the song in my head, I was so filled with wonderful sounds that I felt like a helium balloon that was having a hard time saying put on earth. The joy of Spring, downtown, and friendship is a loud combination! Give it a listen!

I never realized I had a special gift, and maybe you have yet to discover that you have it too, but after talking to a man in my church after a youth event one night, it all became clear. Jeff looked at me and said, "Annie, do you realize that not everyone ALWAYS has a song in their head? Someone of my own family even don't have this gift." Do you have it? Is there a series of songs playing in your brain 24/7? It doesn't even matter if I'm awake, because sometimes I dream in song. Some days it is so loud that I can't even put headphones in. My friend Melinda suggested to Jeff and I (have a listen! he is fantastic) that maybe it is because we are both quite musical people, but maybe it is more than that. Humbly I say that Jeff is, and I am a little bit, "in tune" with the greater picture. That's not to say that a brain radio is the only way to be in tune, but I think our joy might have something to do with it. :)

               What's this got to do with walking?
                                       Well let's take it one step further.

I stumble when I get caught up in song,
I strut when I get caught up in song,
but whatever the case I stroll right along,
because of my heart's radio songs.

In a humble way,
I say
that the pep in my step just may-
be due to the joy in my heart and the songs in my mind.
Maybe, just maybe, my joy overflows from my heart to my feet
and the song in my mind keeps my feet with the beat.

"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."
May your heart song sing, and may YOU overflow with hope. 

-Annie

1 comment: