Reflections: Simple habits, skills for a lifetime

What habits did your parents instill in you that have benefited you into adulthood and as a parent or grandparent? For me, a big one is reading—I regularly get on my soapbox about the importance of quality literature, especially physical print books, and the brain pathways developed by taking handwritten notes as I study my Bible or interact with the book I’m reading. 

Lately, though, I’ve been thinking about another habit I took for granted as a child, but realized the benefits as an adult and continue to appreciate now: Singing. 

My parents grew up during the Great Depression, with few conveniences. After a hard day’s work, families somehow found time to sing a few hymns or folk songs accompanied by a fiddle, guitar, or even a homemade banjo. My great-grandfather Johnnie Massey was well-known around several Arkansas counties as a song leader for revival meetings. Having perfect pitch, he could start the hymns in the correct key with or without accompaniment. He passed away before I was born, but my dad remembered him standing at the front of the church and singing the chord, “Do – So – Mi – Do,” so that the sopranos, altos, tenors and basses could find their starting note. Singing was considered an important social skill; one of my family treasures is a battered singing-school book. 

My parents continued the tradition, singing before bedtime prayer or while traveling in the car. My mom would start a song and then take the second soprano part while my sister sang the soprano; that left me for alto and my dad, of course, on baritone or bass. From “’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” to “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain,” the memories and the songs lift my spirits to this day. 

When we traveled with our own kids, whether on vacation or just shorter trips around town, technology had improved a bit. We heard lots of Adventures in Odyssey episodes and worship music on a boom box and later a car stereo, but we also sang. And again, with five of us we were able to cover the parts. Their grasp of harmony made it easy for the kids to play the piano by ear; and they all excelled on other instruments and in choir. We also discovered that Luke inherited his great-great-grandfather’s perfect pitch. 

Why is this important? Singing is a God-given way to relate to our Creator—in the Psalms alone, singing clearly helped remind the writers of God’s goodness, and the New Testament exhorts believers to “sing and make melody in your hearts.” Music also develops those vital neuropathways. I have seen people in the nursing home who are experiencing some cognitive decline, but when singing, not only can they remember all the words to hymns or songs popular in their youth, but it often stimulates other memories and starts conversations! 

As technology continues to increase, let’s make sure we use it as a tool and not an escape from the joy of singing. My granddaughter has her own little digital player loaded with some of her favorite groups, but I’m glad my son and daughter-in law are also teaching the kids to sing along and interact with the music, at home and at church. These simple habits, started early and included in family life, build lifelong skills and draw us closer to the One who puts the music in our hearts!