If You Can’t Silence that Sad Song, Make it a Duet

Spring is in the air. There’s a pep in our proverbial step. But what if there’s not? What if the changing season, as full as it might seem on the outside, feels empty on the inside?

We don’t need any reminders the world is tough. Anxiety, depression, grief, loss, separation, loneliness, disappointment, guilt, shame, and regret, can all make it difficult to breathe in the spring air with a sense of joy. Of course, the spike in pollen count makes that hard too. You get the point.

If you’re not Instagramming your joyful walks through green pastures and flower gardens, that’s okay. Sadness isn’t the eternal state for believers. Sadness is certainly inescapable in this fallen world. I like how I heard one pastor remind his congregation of this reality, “It’s okay to not be okay.” That reminds me of another impactful statement from a pastor, in this case, Ray Ortlund, who regularly told his church, “You can be impressive or you can be known, but you can’t be both.”

We spend much of our time trying to impress others. Let’s drop the show, at least with some trusted confidants. It’s okay.

I recently watched the documentary about the life of Fred Rogers. One scene really affected me and I think it might be a helpful for others too. Daniel the tiger, voiced by Fred Rogers, was singing a song about feeling like a mistake. Instead of learning a lesson and changing his tune, Rogers chose to have another character, Lady Aberlin, sing along. While Daniel can’t completely silence his fear, his thoughts are at least mingled with hope and encouragement. Here’s the words to the duet. Trust me it’s worth your time to read:

[Daniel Striped Tiger]

Sometimes I wonder if I’m a mistake
I’m not like anyone else I know
When I’m asleep or even awake
Sometimes I get to dreaming that I’m just a fake
I’m not like anyone else

Others I know are big and are wild
I’m very small and quite tame
Most of the time I’m weak and I’m mild
Do you suppose that’s a shame

Often I wonder if I’m a mistake
I’m not supposed to be scared am I
Sometimes I cry and sometimes I shake
Wondering isn’t it true that the strong never break
I’m not like anyone else I know
I’m not like anyone else

[Lady Aberlin]

I think you are just fine as you are
I really must tell you
I do like the person that you are becoming
When you are sleeping
When you are waking
You are my friend

It’s really true
I like you
Crying or shaking or dreaming or breaking
There’s no one mistaking it
You’re my best friend

I think you are just fine as you are
I really must tell you
I do like the person that you are becoming
When you are sleeping
When you are waking
You’re not a fake
You’re no mistake
You are my friend

So, what can you do if you can’t silence the sad song in your heart? If it won’t shut up, don’t let it sing alone. Make it a duet. Add the voice of God in the Scriptures to your dirge. We see duets in the Psalms all the time, where the psalmist mixes his worries with the promises of God. And add to that the voice of a good friend. Never sing a sad song alone.

There’s another melody that’s purer, and better in every conceivable way, singing over you. It will win out in the end. It will drown out every sorrow and every lie. And one day we will join in together in a great chorus, singing along to a tune that’s more powerful and more beautiful than anything we’ve ever heard. Like the Psalmist, we will declare, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him” (Psalm 40:3).