The Hokey Pokey…Is That Really What It’s All About?
Okay, can you tell I have been spending a lot of time with a 7-month old baby? I must sing the “Hokey Pokey” song about 20 times a day. The sad thing is, I can barely remember the words to the other nursery rhymes so I usually make up words. My granddaughter doesn’t know any different.
Some of the nursery rhymes, like “Rock A Bye Baby”, has depressing words in it. “When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. And down will come baby cradle and all.” Really? That’s a pretty scary image.
Then, of course, there is poor little Jack and pitiful little Jill. Someone sent them up a “hill to fetch a pail of water.” Why would anyone send two small children to “fetch” water? Then, the horrific fall where Jack “broke his crown” (whatever that is) and then silly Jill “came tumbling after” him. More “falling.”
My granddaughter has a piano that plays several nursery songs and one of them is “London Bridge” which is apparently in disarray because it is…”falling down.” Again, with the “falling” thing!
I went to www.rhymes.org to look up words to some of the old rhymes I could not remember and it is quite interesting. This website gives you not only the words, but the story behind each rhyme. It appears that most of our childhood nursery rhymes were based on tragedies mostly in England during the 15th and 16th centuries.
We all grew up with these stories and told them to our children without really thinking about the words or the origins of these well known rhymes. There certainly was no harm done and we should read and sing with our children and grandchildren. But, one day, for some reason, I got to thinking about the end of the “Hokey Pokey” song…”that’s what it’s all about!”
Then, one Sunday afternoon, my husband and I were out driving around looking at houses and neighborhoods in hopes of finding something that would be less work than our 10 acres, and we saw a new subdivision for the “50 and over” group of people. Well, that is us!
They had two open models to take a look at so we did. They were beautiful homes with every modern convenience anyone would ever want. These homes were on little postage stamp sized lots so you could throw a rock into your neighbor’s living room window (not that I would ever do that!), but the association took care of all the grass cutting and weed eating. Now you have my husband’s attention!
When we left, the nice lady gave us a brochure and it said, “Put more life into your living. That’s what it’s all about!” All these years, I thought the “Hokey Pokey” was what it was all about! How wrong could I be?
It did, however, get me to thinking about what life is all about. It would certainly make life easier for us if someone else did all the outside yard work and maintenance, but they had a lot of rules. I’m not much of a fan of too many rules. One of the rules for the community was that they would not let you put a swingset in your yard for your grandchildren because it would not fit in with the landscape or atmosphere for a “senior community.” Right now, a swingset and the joy of my grandchild and future grandchildren are very much in my atmosphere.
It is very important in this season of my life to spend every moment I can with my husband, children and grandchildren. This is my calling…for this season. As we all know, seasons change.
God has blessed me with so much love in my life that my heart is full and that makes me want to share this knowledge. You can, too! We are given this concept by God in I John 4:7, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and every one who loves is born of God and knows God.”
Now, THAT’S what it’s all about!