Sharing Your Song

I spend alot of time sitting on my front porch sipping iced tea and enjoying the various summer sounds of the birds, crickets and locusts. It is a peaceful luxury and one of the perks of having no set agenda for the day. Usually I can block out the noise of the cars that motor by on the wide tree lined street in front of my porch, and yet today I witnessed a human sound that caught my attention. A large pick-up truck was slowly passing by my house with it's sunglassed and bearded middle aged man singing at the top of his lungs to a Grateful Dead tune. The voice was a bit high pitched for such a burly looking driver, and yet it made me smile because he was obviously singing from his heart with all the glee of a child. Often in an attempt to avoid my usual impatience on the road, I too will play my favorite music and sing at the top of my lungs, however, this is NEVER done with the windows down. It made me wonder why we can't share the joy that we feel when we hear the music that resonates with us. Imagine going to the supermarket, airport, or mall and listening to happy people singing along with their iPods, instead of the usual complaining or irritated murmuring that is usually associated with places of stress. Birds sing regardless of the quality of their voice and yet we usually associate pleasure with those sounds, even if it is a squeaking catbird or a screaming bluejay. Maybe one day I'll try to sing while driving with the windows down or when I'm taking a walk. Perhaps it will make someone smile (or chuckle) or have the courage to share their own song in public.