251 days without yelling, 114 days of loving more to go!
Favorite Song Friday #1
Dear Orange Rhinos,
I love music. The right song literally goes into my soul and brings me up when I am down, pushes me when I want to quit, makes me dance when I need to let loose, makes me sing when I want to yell. Yes, music has been a HUGE part of my learning not to yell. There are so many songs I hear that make me stop and think “wow, it’s like this song was written with The Orange Rhino Challenge in mind” or “wow, that song said exactly how I feel but couldn’t put into words.”
I realized that in all my blogging, I have done a lot of “phew I didn’t yell” and not as much “and this is what I did to not yell” or “this keeps me inspired to not quit” as I had hoped. I have been trying to think of ways to do so and voila! I got this new idea. I hope you like it because I am pretty jazzed about. Pun intended, remember, I am a total dork!
Starting today, I am going to TRY (time and parenting constraints permitting and unforeseeable circumstances!) and make Fridays my Favorite Song day. I will share a song that has inspired me, helped me, or just made me get dancing with my kids. If you have any songs that have done the same for you, please email me and I’ll look to include them.
Today’s song I LOVE. LOVE LOVE LOVE. Why? Because it is EXACTLY the message I want to send to all of you.
Have a listen to this video and then have a read below. The original lyrics are in black, my thoughts in orange, obviously!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HoRkntoHkIE
Home, by Philip Phillips
Hold on, to me as we go (yes we, this challenge isn’t just mine, it’s ours)
As we roll down this unfamiliar road
And although this wave is stringing us along
Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home (My thoughts exactly. This Facebook page, my blog, I am going to make it your home. A place where you can come to when sad, lost, frustrated, happy. A place where you feel safe, happy, inspired, welcomed. Home is where the heart is.)
Settle down, it’ll all be clear
Don’t pay no mind to the demons (ah, the demons that try and tell you that you can’t do this, that you can’t succeed ignore them, you can!)
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found
Just know you’re not alone (Orange Rhinos, you are not alone. You are not the only one who feels he/she yells too much. You are part of us, a community of parents willing to admit we are struggling, that we are working hard to change, that we love our kids. You are one of the few courageous enough to try and change.)
Cause I’m going to make this place your home
Settle down, it’ll all be clear
Don’t pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found (If you yell, or lose interest in the Challenge, in yourself, you are always welcome back here, no questions, just support).
Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home
You need to add the song “you are gold” It would be a good song for you and the children. I am a librarian k-4 at a school and I play it for both of us when I need a break!
i really like your song. i think it means something special, but i don’t know how to explain it at all? confusing! but i really like the song.Love,
Stephanie crozan!
I am sitting in tears because of your blog. I cannot articulate how alone I feel sometimes trying my damndest to do what is best for my kids and juggling life’s frustrations. health scares and it is amazing how each and every post fits. Hearing from Cathy from facebook was like hearing myself and made me glad their is a community of people trying to love more (and made me sad I cannot join facebook for reasons that are to complex to go into) thank you for sharing it on your blog. And then your post about Alzheimer’s which touched on similar experiences in my life but mostly was so eluquently written it broke my heart also. On top of that you write about being patient with your little ones when they are frustrated and I saw myself with my oldest who is pushing the limits trying to ascert his independance but has serious sensory problems with clothing and my other two with their own unique issues. It all adds up to a huge balancing act with me trying to love each of them and spend time helping them while the dishes pile up, house becomes a disaster zone and bills need to be paid. And on and on it goes so that there are literally not enough hours in the day. You make me feel like I am normal well no, I will never be normal. You make me know that I am not alone and seeing things through your eyes and words help me be better for my boys. Because in the end I am the one that helps of hinders these boys become the best little people they can be. So thanks again. and always.
Oh Linda, so wonderful to see your name pop up! I’ve been thinking of you, wondering how you have been doing. Thank you for reading. I am not normal either and never will be. But together all us moms might start to realize that the only normal is admitting we aren’t 🙂 You are not alone and are always welcome here. Parenting is hard – and it CAN be so frustrating with each child needing so much and always something different than another. And add sensory and well, that just complicates it all. I keep trying to write about sensory but I can’t because I feel so alone on that subject. But perhaps I will, perhaps it will help us both. Glad to have you here. The Orange Rhino
Thank you for replying. Please write about sensory it would be fantastic to hear your perspective. You always have posts that resonate with me especially lately when things have not been so good I have found myself coming to your site, seeing the challenges you face and then taking a breath telling myself to “suck it up” and keep going. Thank you a thousand times. You help me stop feeling sorry for myself.