|
The hills are alive
I performed karaoke for the first time in my life last month. This probably doesn’t sound like a big deal, but to me, it was. Sure, I’ve watched others do karaoke, but I was always too shy to try it myself. Besides, I’ve had a strict self-imposed “no singing in public” rule since childhood. In the third grade, I sang loudly, with great abandon in music class. Apparently, I hit a note that only dogs and other third graders could hear. While I continued to get along well with our canine friends, none of my peers would sit next to me in music class for the rest of the year. There were a few other bad singing experiences along the way, so I relegated myself to lip-syncing “Happy Birthday” at parties and otherwise saving my talents for the shower or long drives by myself. Then, a few weeks ago, I was invited to do karaoke with a group of friends and for some reason, I didn’t hesitate to respond in the affirmative. Don’t worry, I’m still the insanely self-conscious person you have come to know, but I thought it sounded like fun, and it seemed like a good time to get over myself. Not since I did a split (on purpose) in yoga class several years ago, have I been so proud of an achievement. The catalog of songs at the karaoke place seemed extensive at first glance, but a lot of the songs were completely unknown to me. I was happy to find two songs that I knew well enough, “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen, and “Tainted Love” by Soft Cell. I held the microphone and sang along with the words as they flashed across the video screen. Later, my husband complimented me by saying that I had done a good job and that I “certainly wasn’t any worse than anybody else.” This was music to my ears and a good reminder to try things outside of my comfort zone.* I hope you will try something new and maybe a little uncomfortable and that you, too, reap the rewards!
*Camping not included.
Stay safe and healthy,
Tracy Jacobs
|
