Fred was navigating the grief journey after his beloved had passed very suddenly (following a time of chronic health challenges) just four weeks ago. He had spent the evening with good friends who invited one of their neighbors to join them as a fourth for pizza and cards.
They spoke openly of Fred’s journey, and shared the food and cards, along with some heartfelt laughter when the neighbor broke into song, making light fun of the lyrics of the Mac Davis song, “It’s Hard to be Humble.”
-
Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble
When you’re perfect in every way
I can’t wait to look in the mirror
Cause I get better looking each day
To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man
Oh Lord It’s hard to be humble,
But I’m doing the best that I can
Later that night — at home alone, processing soooooo much — those lyrics became an earworm for him. (According to Wikipedia, an earworm or brainworm, also described as sticky music or stuck song syndrome, is a catchy or memorable piece of music or saying that continuously occupies a person’s mind even after it is no longer being played or spoken about.)
When that earworm led to a second, Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Back Seat, by Paul Evans the chorus became a mantra:
-
Keep you mind on your driving
Keep you hands on the wheel
Keep your snoopy eyes on the road ahead
We’re having fun sitting in the back seat kissing and a-hugging with Fred
It was as if she was giving him guidance to navigate his grief, making sure he knows — maybe especially now — it is vitally important to be having fun….
