Your mother is always right - except when she's not

It continues to astound me how many adults tell me the same story; they are convinced that they can't carry a tune in a bucket.  (I know that's a cliche phrase but it's one I like).  If that sounds like you, I assure you that you are almost definitely wrong.

In almost every case, the basis for this belief of tone-deafness returns to a strikingly common experience, usually in childhood.  Does this sound familiar? 

"Just mouth the words, dear".  "Our little Johnny loves music, but he can't sing to save his life".  "You can always stand up with the class and just smile, dear".  "She's enthusiastic, but she can't carry a tune in a bucket".

Bless your mother's cotton socks, but in saying these things she has hindered your potential joy not only of making music, but of making vocal sound of any sort.  (It might not have been your mother, but it so frequently is).  I guarantee you that there are VERY few people in this world who are absolutely tone deaf.  I assure you that you are probably not one of them. 

Sometimes it takes some diligence to train your voice and your brain to sing on key, but usually all it takes is confidence.  It's remarkable what a shot of confidence will do for your singing.  Conversely, the biggest hindrance to enjoying your own voice and making music is a lack of confidence, and often that stems from something somebody said 20 or 30 or 40 (more?) years ago.  Well, I'm saying this to you now:  you CAN sing, and you can find joy in doing so.  Pick up the tune and soon you'll get rid of the bucket.  Then you'll be soaring.

I'm thankful that there is hardly anything that my mother told me I "couldn't" do.  There were times she rolled her eyes and said "well, if you're sure..." and there were times I fell flat but not because someone told me I was going to.  And when I moved out of the house, she suddenly got a lot smarter!  Thanks Mum.

So to end this blog, I leave you with three thoughts:  1) it's time to get rid of that burden of perceived tone deafness.  In your life it is probably a myth, and there is so much joy in singing;  2) remember what impact your words can have, especially in the life of a child.  This goes both ways - you can encourage a person's life, or squash them by what you say.  Use your words for good today; 3)  your mother isn't always right, even if she is most of the time.  Just don't tell that to my children.

Abundant blessings be upon you today.