The Wheels On the Bus go Round and Round!

The other morning I had the day off of work  and was babysitting my 4 month old grandson at his house. After he roused from his morning nap, I was to give him his bottle and take him to my house for the rest of the day. Not known for his tolerance of car rides, I had the radio ready to placate him for the ten minute ride to my house. Halfway through the drive, he had realized that he had been had! His cry started with a murmur and grew to a loud plea for rescue from his car seat! I rolled my eyes, shut off the radio and started, as my daughters usually bemoan, to sing "The Wheels on the Bus" . My enthusiastic rendition quickly silenced my grandson and for the remainder of the ride I provided the only wailing in the car!

As I guided the car into the garage and opened the back door of the car, two little wide eyes met mine with astonishment! "It was YOU!" they seemed to flash. I grinned and sang one more verse as I rescued him from that dreaded car seat. He seemed satisfied that his needs would now be met and scanned the garage and subsequently the house as we entered together.

We all have certain needs that will not be met through conventional means. Yes, I have a wonderful husband and family, a good job, excellent health, and many friends whom I could call on in times of trouble. But, as my grandson's song preference reminded  me, there are only certain songs sang by certain voices that calm my 'wailing'. The last few months have been extremely busy months. 'Keeping my head above water' would have understated my schedule.   I can say now that I completed almost all of my tasks in a positive fashion, with only a few weeks of cleanup demanding my immediate attention.

Now I needed to hear 'that song'. You know,"the Wheels on the Bus",  the song that would make me stop thinking of  the aftermath of these past months and  would enable me to focus on what's ahead.   I glanced at the bulletin and saw that the parish healing mass was scheduled at church at 7:00. Yes, conventional wisdom told me that there was not enough time in my schedule after work to attend something so unnecessary as a healing mass.   "No REAL healing takes place at those things., I was told. "Just the power of suggestion makes you feel better." I decided that the 'power of suggestion' was what I desired and I cleared my schedule of all those necessary things that others would want me to do.

So, I drove to town, went into the church, participated in the mass, Father laid his hands over me, I prayed a little afterward, chatted to a couple of people and then walked out back to the street to go home, and I believe  I was humming...."The wheels on the bus go round and round......."