Cool change
August 7 2023
Recently I was listening to someone I love council someone else I love about how they should not discuss “problems” with friends and others because that causes them to dwell on what is wrong instead of finding solutions. The first person was great at never discussing health issues with others, but always took note of and pointed out even the teeniest of problems UNRELATED to health.
The second person, in contrast, tackled almost all problems without discussion yet felt the need to discuss health problems only, with others. This is an excellent example, I think, of how some people giving council, need to take their own advice, or at least lead by example and look for the good, expecting to find it if they want to help others.
I was just watching the flipper movie Saturday night with the kids, and the movie was from the 1960’s and in that show, the dolphin caused the dad to “flip” or to change his behavior towards dolphins, to liking them, instead of wanting to get rid of them. He had believed that the dolphin was taking all the fish, when in truth, the dolphin was leading the fisherman to all the fish.
In the movie, the little boy could not convince the dad with his words, he had to lead by example, trusting good. When a person does not lead by example, and only says the right words, that intended flip towards good, might end up as a flop. Change happens when people lead by good example, and as I was running the next morning, and thinking about this, that thought made me go look up a song I thought was titled “small change” but in fact I figured out that the song was called “Cool change” by the little river band.
“cool change by Little river band”
When I went to listen to this song on YouTube, I saw, amazingly, that it had dolphins doing flips and leaps into the air. It was thrilling beyond words, to watch and the kids and I played that video three times, later in the morning, while we ate cantaloupe and toast and got ready for church.
The lyrics to that song are talking about how it is time for a cool change…how the person wants to keep the inspiration of others, but needs time to be out on the water looking at the “moon like its a lover”. To me this appreciate of nature, signifies a relationship with good, with God, and such trust in good, accomplishes cool changes. Being alone, listening, not talking, is what can accomplish cool change.
If we want to accomplish cool changes, we should indeed listen to what God is saying over what people say. That still small voice in our conscience, when we are alone, is always giving us direction.
Interestingly the song says that “the albatross and the whale they are my brothers”. The albatross is a huge bird and has a tremendous wingspan, and is analogous to representing big problems around someones neck but the whale also is gigantic, yet represents the opposite of problems, which is wealth and success. The song says that “the albatross and the whale they are my brothers”. It puts them both as equals in the big picture, both as brothers.
But why would we want an albatross or a problem as our brother??
Yet we do learn in life, that when we recognize that success AND problems are our brothers, we can navigate the waters successfully…and the Sea is what we choose to see. This is because problems that we overcome with wisdom, compassion, and humility, elevate us.
Success is our goal, and my mom always used to say that “trials are proofs of God’s care” and understanding that principle, helps us to resolve problems, and live purposeful and joyful lives.
In the bigger picture, loose tiles, plumbing problems, or hot weather, are insignificant problems when we can list so many good things to be grateful for. And when we can list good things, and pay attention to those good things, we can keep our joy intact and be someone that others WANT to turn to as a resource.
No one wants to listen to someone who is always sour, complaining, and negative. I heard someone say that being negative and always talking about what is wrong, is like carrying around garbage. It is stinky, and no one wants to be around something or someone stinky. Those of us who are constantly carrying around garbage, need to put it down and start paying attention to what is good, fresh, beautiful and pure.
Finding fault…pointing out what is wrong, finding things to be upset about…and trying to get other people equally upset, is not God’s plan for keeping us joyful and it is not living our best life…it is in fact a prison. We may have an albatross of problems, but they will only elevate us, when we make them “our brothers”.
The albatross IS our friend…literally and figuratively, and when we trust God, he will indeed provide us with a “cool change”, and for this I am so grateful.