Changing the feel, change the real?

 
Some of us learn at a very young age, that you can add or change just a couple of words in a song to give it some edge, or drama, or context specificity.  Consider the end-of-verse add-ons to Christmas-y songs like “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” or even old Sunday School songs like “Do Lord”.  Beyond that, just about every generation has had a great—or not so great—songwriter or scriptwriter that has either mocked or revitalized a song or a movie with a full parody.  Like most humor, there’s some truth(s) in parody.
 
Dear reader, you should know, I come from the Weird Al generation.  Since those formative years, I have considered Alfred Matthew “Weird Al” Yankovic one of the all time great parodists.  I grew up unsure if we were to “Beat It” or “Eat It”.  Were we to feel sorry for the “King of Pain” or cheer for the “King of Suede”?
 
So perhaps it’s not so surprising that sometimes a parody-like song comes to mind. 
 
Blossoms on crab trees and nipping little pups
Bright colored scarves and warm coffee cups
Laughter of children in freshwater springs
These are a few of my favorite things
 
Smiles that appear around bright cam’ra flashes
Snowflakes that stay on my hair and eyelashes
Bobbles of Twins heads and on simple rings
These are a few of my favorite things
 
Gray colored Chryslers and powdered fudge brownies,
Doorbells and church bells and marinara on noodles,     (no rhyme, but honest)
Kind, helpful Christians who listen and sing(s)  (…ok, not quitting my day job!)
These are a few of my favorite things
 
When the words bite
When the glares sting
When I’m feeling sad
Would not it be great if my favorite things
Would actually change the bad
 
Remember the version from Sound of Music?
“I simply remember my favorite things; and then I don’t feel so bad”?
 
My own new wording left me wondering:
What’s the difference between changing the feeling and changing the reality?
How can a feeling change actually change the reality?
Perhaps truly honoring one another’s feelings—and one’s own feelings—is the start of change.
What change(s) can happen?
Well,…that might be something to ponder on for the week.
 
God bless.
Intern Pastor Amy
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