Let Your Heart Sing

The pets in our home learned quickly that they would have to put up with me singing at all hours of the day and night.

I’m not talking about just singing songs, although they are included. I make up melodies and lyrics on the spot about whatever appears in my mind, my vision, work, play – anything that generally presents itself. For instance, I will sing a quartet about mashing potatoes (with me singing all four parts), or maybe a jazzy tune when I’m deciding what to wear to an event, or musical affirmations to get myself out of a slump. The ditty for this afternoon was about picking apples (the most prolific harvest I’ve ever seen). These tunes are never recorded, but provide a flowing musical play time to accompany me through the day.

My husband, Tink Robinson, also has music woven into the fabric of his being. Singing is an integral part of our lives. One of us might be humming a song (in the mind) and the other will voice the next phrase of the song in exactly the same key and rhythm. This is the kind of household that our animals came to love.

Our first darling pet, Amber, was a miniature apricot poodle. She clung on to me the moment I picked her up in my arms. It was love at first sight. She was present at the home delivery when our son was born. She would also sit right beside the piano when I taught voice lessons. Amber didn’t know that she would soon become a musical theater poodle! She went to over a thousand performances in Barkerville and in the early years of our shows in Heritage Fort Steele, BC. She would lie under my dressing table until she heard the musical finale. Then she knew she was free to go and visit the audience members while we signed autographs. Amber traveled with us everywhere, on cargo planes, ships (we smuggled her up to our state room) and even all across BC when we were on tour.

We got the precious gift of Andy, our first golden retriever, when he was just 6 weeks old. Andy was all about love Love LOVE. He even let Amber think that she was the boss.

Andy absolutely adored children. Once he ‘dogsat’ out in the back yard for thirty kids in my step-mother’s Grade 2 class while she was in the house preparing the food for their picnic. He also loved playing ball and would drop one in front of you 24/7,  baiting you to throw it just one more time so he could return it to you again. Andy was laid back and would sit right beside me having a snooze when I was practicing singing (and I took that as a compliment …). He was never completely asleep though, because if I stopped for a minute, he would look up and put his paw on my leg. I would give him some loving pats and then resume the practice. Andy would give a big sigh and drift off into dreamland again.

When she was thirteen years old, our dear sweet Amber became very arthritic and finally left us. Andy became the solo pet for awhile, but one day, a stray cat arrived on our back porch and snuggled with him. After slipping a few dishes of food out to Sam, we finally brought him inside, whereupon he fell asleep for 14 hours on a mohair blanket (which became his). Sam was just fine with my vegetable songs, dancing ditties, and lyrics in fabricated languages. Then in the early 90’s, I was inspired to begin writing and recording songs with universal messages. These form the substance of my work as a speaker, singer and voice performance coach. There are two songs which I composed with Sam in my arms. The first was “Let Your Heart Sing” which poured out of me while I danced Sam around our kitchen (more of this story on my website).The other was “Your Song of Love”, a soft lullaby which I recorded on my FLYING FREE CD. After I cradled and sang to him, he looked up at me and, ever so gently, kissed me on the nose.

After Andy’s time had completed on the earth, Sammy lived until he was 18 years. I’m realizing as I write, that our special pets each deserve a complete book. Sam passed on just a week before I sang at the World Congress in Tucson, Arizona (see Welcome Home Blog). Tink and I decided that if we ever had another pet, it would be a little dog. The universe had other plans.

We received a phone call from long time friends, Jacquie and Bob Darby. Their beloved 47-year old daughter, Joanne, had just passed away. She had 2 married daughters, a teenage son, Maggie, a 3-year-old golden retriever, and 3 cats. Tink and I spontaneously offered to adopt the golden … after all, we knew that breed! Maggie came with a different agenda …

On Feb. 10, 2006, Jacquie and Bob brought her from Edmonton, Alberta to our town. Tink decided he would let Maggie know that she would be living in a musical home. He sang a very soft but potent and resonant ‘oo’ tone. Maggie looked at him and growled. Thus began our relationship with our one-of-a-kind Maggie who has become our pride and joy. However, for the first 3 months, she was definitely high maintenance! On her first visit to the vet, she was so panicked that she yanked the lead (with me on the end of it) toward the door and pulled me right off my feet. The vet commented that we would need to take her to obedience classes (although she did have some lessons as a puppy). So that’s what we did and she not only thrived, she was the star pupil! Maggie had experienced deep loss in her young life so we enfolded her with love, giving her the security she craved.

I introduced her to my singing practice gradually and she seemed to like it until she heard the high notes. She would jump up on me and almost knock me over! Now she accepts my singing as part of the routine. One summer when I was asked to sing the French National Anthem, La Marseillaise, at an event, I practiced it while walking Maggie in the field. She has such a happy life here – running in the foothills with other dogs at  Mrs. Doolittle’s Pet Resort (owned by Cathy and Neil Waters) and swimming in their dugout. She is such a character with a great sense of humor! Eleven-year-old Maggie says hello to every person and dog that we meet.

Tink and I have been blessed to have the rich experience of knowing and being loved by our ‘musical’ pets. They will forever be among my most cherished treasures. I am forever grateful for their constant reminders to live in the moment. For it is when I melt into the Presence that the songs are born.

Sometimes on our walks, I sing Sam’s song, “Let Your Heart Sing”, to Maggie. The rhythm, melody and lyrics speak to our innermost being. Pets teach us unconditional love. May you live, breathe and know this in your life. And may you discover your own song, your own note, your own unique gifts which you were born to share with the world.

Let your heart sing to the magic
Let your heart ring
through the rhythm of the day
Let your heart bring all the magic
Open up and Be
Feel the freedom
when you Let Your Heart Sing

 

 

To listen to a clip of my song, “Let Your Heart Sing” – Click HERE. To read more of the Story behind “Let Your Heart Sing”, Click HERE. Or to download a copy of the song for yourself for 99 cents – Go HERE.

P.S. Check out my brand new From Spirit to Story to Song Website Home for more fun and inspirational stories that I would love to share with you too!

While you are there, download my song and FREE Gift for you, “Give Yourself Love”.

© Judy Armstrong 2013