Ten Year-Old Ears © 2014

Children are adept at making things fit to the level of their understanding...

   My mother left my father in the winter of 1974. For a short time, we lived in York, PA. A self-contained county 30 minutes from Harrisburg, PA. She and her three city kids from Philadelphia, PA had to adjust to a new family dynamic, living in a smaller city, a new school (McKinley Elementary School), a new radio station that played few songs by black artists (WORK), a new home run king (Hank Aaron), and eventually, a new President(Gerald Ford). In 1974, it seemed like the whole country was in an uproar in response to the constant changes going in our lives and society. Specifically, Watergate and the rising prices of gasoline, coffee, milk, and candy bars (my M&M’s and Hershey bars increased from a dime to 15 cents!) In the spring of that year my mother purchased a 1963 Ford Fairlane. She called the car her little “Putt-Putt” because of how the engine sounded. In that little car, I learned the words to many songs while riding shotgun with my mother and my siblings in the back. “Dancing Machine” by the Jackson Five, “Please Come to Boston” by Dave Loggins, “Yesterday Once More”, by the Carpenters, and “I Shot the Sheriff,” by Bob Marley. When I reflect on the memory of this story, it makes me realize that children are adept at making things fit in their world until they learn better. It was one of the most memorable periods of my life. The soundtrack of adjustment.

   In 1974, there was a rock and roll version of “The Lord’s Prayer” sung by The Singing Nun/aka Sister Janet Mead. It became a worldwide hit, receiving a lot of airplays on the radio and a Grammy nomination. In the spring of 1974, I remember hearing this song on the radio when we would travel around York, PA during the week and on weekends travelling to visit our relatives in Baltimore, Maryland. After hearing this song play a few times, my sister, brother, and I thought we knew the words. We clearly understood the first stanza, “Our Father who art in Heaven.” When the nun sang the second stanza, “Hallowed be thy name,” my 10-year-old ears heard, “Hamma Samma Seesaw Say.” Those words fit in with the meter of the song and we sang that line with those words at the top of our voices with enthusiasm, zest, gusto, and glee as we rambled along on route 83.

   After years of Sunday school, church services, and reading the bible, I realized in 1977 at age 14 what words Sister Janet Mead sang. I had an epiphany in church on Sunday morning and I roared with laughter. In 2010, thirtysix years later with the advent of the internet (the best thing invented to verify childhood memories and dispelling notions of insanity), I pulled up the 1974 version of “The Lord’s Prayer” by The Singing Nun on YouTube in and was reacquainted with an oldie but goodie. I got redemption when I was able to sing this song correctly with the same enthusiasm and gusto. If I had the chance to meet Sister Janet Mead, I’m sure she would forgive me at age ten and agree with me now and share a laugh too. When I tell this story to family and friends, they laugh and shake their heads. A quote from Maya Angelou says, “When you know better, you do better.” My response to any adjustment in life is “Hamma Samma Seesaw Say.” God truly watches over and forgives babies and fools.

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