Fly me to the moon

“Fly me to the moon

let me play among the stars……

Fill my heart with song

and let me sing forever more”

Frank Sinatra famously sang the lyrics above. Although the song is a love song and intended for someone special in his life, the words can be taken (as I have done) and used as a hope for the future. Perry Como also sang the following words:

Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Never let it fade away
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Save it for a rainy day

Whilst the crooners of old were fascinated with the cosmos as a way of expressing their feelings, why can’t we do the same? Why can’t we fill our hearts with song or save a piece of heaven for when we are feeling down? There really isn’t any reason why we can’t as far as I can tell. I’m sure everyone has had times in their lives when they have a song ‘stuck in their head’. I know I’ve woken up singing songs some times. Maybe not everyone is as unique as I am in that respect – but hey it starts the day off well. On those days I sort of wonder what I’ve been dreaming about prior to waking. 🙂 The point is though, that singing lifts our spirits. It doesn’t matter if we have a great voice or not, it matters how we feel as we open our mouths and sing. Try it. Think of a song right now, and sing it out loud. Dance as well if you feel like it. Or, if you’re feeling a little self conscious, sing along to something on the radio or other listening device. Now how do you feel? If you’re like me, singing brightens your outlook and things don’t seem as bad.

Now what about keeping a ‘falling star’ in our pockets? Think of something or someone that makes you smile. It could be your cat, your grandchildren, other loved ones, even a television show. Now take that memory and play it through your mind. Did it work? Do you feel a little better? Rainy days (grey days, depression days, anxiety, stress) all need to be lightened a little.

This week, I captured some falling stars.

1. I came home from work and saw a bunch of Sweet Peas in a glass of water. I asked the Garden Gnome where they had come from. He replied that he had come home that afternoon and found them tucked into our screen door. We have no idea where they came from but it sure brightened our day.

2. I won a radio competition to join a Book Club run by one of the DJ’s. The book to be reviewed is by a Brisbane author and newspaper columnist. It is her third book (I’ve read and owned the other two). This one is a novel. Let me tell you about how this all unfolded.

I was standing with my hands in the washing up water when my phone rang. I looked across to where it was and saw that it came from a blocked number. I nearly wasn’t going to answer but did. I was told it was one of the Brisbane radio stations (that I listen to) and that I was a finalist in the competition and could I stand by to see if I had won. I thought “Okay. Why not?”. Whilst I was on hold I was listening to the breakfast team talking to a woman about depression and how it is not something that is talked about and people have difficulty in accepting. They were talking about how it is more common than people think because families tend to close around many loved ones and shield them from outside. I was thoroughly enjoying listening to this when the DJ’s ended it with “Thanks xxx for talking to us about your book”. Next thing I was asked why I wanted to read the book and meet the author. I was like “Wow. This is unreal. I am writing a book on living with depression”. So I get to go to High Tea at the Sofitel in Brisbane in a couple of weeks time to discuss her novel. (The book arrived yesterday and I am already a third of the way in. I’m finding it interesting).

3. I came home from work the other afternoon and found my oldest granddaughter and Miss-almost-twelve-going-on-twenty-five doing chalk drawings all over the driveway. She had come to stay overnight with us. I still can’t believe she is almost 6. I remember when she used to lay on my chest and sleep during the day.

So I have three ‘falling stars’ in my collection for my rainy days. And they do come unfortunately. I was thinking today that it doesn’t matter how happy and healthy I am, the tears are always just below the surface waiting to bubble up. I wonder sometimes if I should just let them and see what happens.

Have a day full of blessings 🙂

btw – I took the photo in my post. It was taken the morning after the super moon. It hadn’t set yet and the early morning balloonists were getting a great view.