MORAL OF THE STORY:

“The only thing better than singing is more singing.”

— Ella Fitzgerald

My answer was, “Sing songs;” another friend replied, “Go shopping;” and the third smiled and said, “Eat chocolate!” What do you suppose was the question that started our interesting discussion?

I thought about that conversation while watching and playing with my grandchildren recently. My daughter Kelly told her children that they couldn’t play in the other room until they cleaned up their crafts in the kitchen.

While picking up paper scraps together, Mary, who is almost 5, said, “I don’t feel like cleaning up anymore.” I chuckled and told her that there are many things in life we don’t feel like doing but that we need to do anyway, and that it helps me to sing songs. I began singing, “This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.” I hadn’t even finished the first line before Mary joined in on the echo, and soon her younger sister Aubrey chimed in and even little James sounded out happily with some of the words.

We finished cleaning up the kitchen in record time. While walking to the living room to read books, Mary restarted the same song and I took a turn echoing her part, and again the other two joined us. While each of the children looked for books for me to read them, I remembered the conversation from years ago that began after one friend’s question elicited three such different answers. In case you are wondering, the original question was, “What do you do to try to get out of a bad mood?”

There may be times when a combination of all three activities sounds unbeatable, but I stand by my original answer for a long-lasting solution. Start by echoing these words, “This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it…”

And you can quote me on that.

CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached at cindy@onthegrow.com or 537 Newport Center Drive, Box 505, Newport Beach, CA 92660.