At first blush, this quote from Voltaire?  It’s pretty dismal.  Life = shipwreck?  Yeah, maybe some days…but do we need to dwell on it?  But darn it all, those smart ones, like Voltaire, with just fourteen words, he propels me from despair to delight.  Fourteen words that provide just the kick in the pants I need.

Despite my wishful thinking, there’s no bubble wrap for life.  No protective shields.  We go from day to day hoping for the best, riding out the rocky bits and cheering when unexpected pleasantries roll in.  Some might call that having low expectations.  I prefer to think of it as cautious optimism.  Revel in the sweet stuff but don’t expect a steady stream. 😉

Am I alone in this not-quite-pessimistic approach?  I don’t think so. I have a client who continues to navigate one speed bump after another and while her fatigue is showing, her resolve to get through…one way or another…has not.  She epitomizes the heart of the Voltaire quote.

Today as we wrapped up our meeting, she whispered that she had a secret. When the tide is rising and the swell of stress is palpable, undeniable, her antidote is shower singing.  Full volume, full voice and after a good ‘shower sesh’ with her favorite 80’s tunes, she resets.  Calm returns.

Later, I couldn’t summon the exact Voltaire quote, but I remembered something about lifeboats and singing that popped to mind, thanks to my client’s self-care sharing. When I found those fourteen words, I smiled. And then I sent her the quote, which she’d never heard of before. She and Voltaire. Now they’re best buds.

Shit happens.  Shipwrecks happen. Shitwrecks happen? 😉 Yup, but if you can, find the release that works for you.  Belting out Blondie at the top of your lungs?  Works for my sweet client – and who am I to disagree?  And yes – that was a little Eurythmics fun, “Sweet Dreams” …from me…and if I may be so bold…from Voltaire, too.

Vicki 💖

50 thoughts on “Singing in the Lifeboats”

  1. Another great post, Victoria; thank you so much for sharing it. I hadn’t heard the quote by Voltaire, but I absolutely love it. It was also great to hear about the client who sings in the shower.

    I sometimes think of our earthly experience as a stone against which we sharpen the knife of our being. Without the trying circumstances and challenges, we would probably devolve. I’m not saying that I welcome “those” days, but as I’ve grown stronger and come to know That which I truly am, I can see through them more clearer.

    I’ll be looking forward to your next post (but, of course, that’s not news!) 🙂

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  2. I’ve evolved into a bit of cautious optimist and I love it! I used to set high expectations, but now I’m perfectly content surviving the day. Bonus points if I have chocolate, see some wildlife outside, or receive a text from a loved one. I’d never heard the Voltaire quote, but it’s fantastic. We really do have the power to manage our perception of even the most objectively shitty situation. Cheers to singin’ in the shower on the bad days!

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  3. I love that your client “whispered her secret.” Bless you for being a person that is safe to share how we get through – and who’ll find a quote to back it up. Singing in the shower, dancing in the dark, voyaging with Voltaire. What a way to get through the not-so-great moments! Love it!

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  4. Singing surely adds another layer of protection when the bubble wrap supply is running low. Singing out loud, humming, singing in my head. All of them work. But when even the lifeboat starts leaking, I turn to the paints and canvas. If I don’t like what I’m seeing, I just paint a new scene. 🙂 I wonder what Voltaire would make of that.

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  7. Along with agreeing with all the other comments, it’s interesting how many of us fall back on the favourite songs of our “coming of age” years to give us a boost. Mine are a few decades before the 80s! 😏

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    1. Thanks much, Max — for reading and for your thoughtful comment. I agree! So many healthy ways to let the negativity out…and it was a great reminder to me that singing is a stress reliever. Have a great day today — thank you for stopping by! 😊😊😊

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  9. What a great quote, Vicki! What a great post!!! And you are right: sometimes we need a kick in the pants to help point us in the right direction. I always forget how much singing lifts my spirits. I sang in a local choir before the pandemic and how I have missed it. I don’t have a great voice but it’s okay when mixed with a bunch of other voices. It’s become become rusty, though, and I sort of just… stopped. My husband told me the other day that he misses hearing me sing as I putter about the house. This was JUST the incentive I needed to consciously build singing back into my routine. “Revel in the sweet stuff but don’t expect a steady stream” indeed… Thank you so much for that 🙂🙂🙂

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    1. Oh, Patti — I bet you have a terrific voice — and I hear you. We get rusty when we don’t use those ‘pipes’. Here’s to you — singing and puttering – and I can’t wait to hear what you’re singing along to….any special type of music that gets your endorphins flowing? Cheers, love and hugs to you for your sweet comment. xo! 😘

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  11. Ahh, shipwrecks! I am thankfully in the calm waters phase of my life, but I have never forgotten the rough waters. I love the shower singing technique – the shower was always where I had my good cries. “Stay strong. Never let them see you break.” Everything symbolically washed down the drain. Ugh. The Voltaire quote is inspiring. Your client is fortunate to have you on her side.

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    1. Thank you, Maggie. You’re right — shower singing and good cries — they go together. 😉 Maybe we’ll need to be careful and not dance, too, to the Pointer Sisters—LOL—loved the reminder in your most recent post. Xo! 😘

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          1. I fell in the shower once. I sprayed it with cleanser that had to be left in place for a period. I forgot I had sprayed it and stepped into the shower and down I went. Not a pretty sight!

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            1. Ouch! I’ve found that some shower gels are slick bombs…you don’t realize it until the next person steps into the shower. Too many hard surfaces in there if you fall. But…if you’re like me, it only takes one time and then I’m ultra cautious – or try to be – forever after, amen. 😉

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  12. Friendship, gratitude, doing for others, bathing in the moonlight, and singing (even if it is the blues). To each the task of finding their way. Thanks for giving direction and permission, Vicki.

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  13. Nietzsche’s “That which does not kill us makes us stronger” is my go-to in relation to lifeboat singing, I will admit to doing my share of singing to songs in order to lift my spirit…which is not restricted to the shower…but definitely for just my ears only. Whatever gets it done, Vicki!

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    1. Ah…wisdom right there…whatever gets the job done. Indeed! And yes…the Nietzsche quote is so good. And… sing, sing, sing I say — I don’t have the voice I once did but it doesn’t stop me…shower? Car? All good! Thank you, Bruce! 😉😉😉

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  15. I like that quote from Voltaire, and your word, Shitwreck, Victoria, should be word of the year for 2023. Your client is right in that we have to find our own ways of singing in the lifeboats. I try to view each day as a fresh start and, where possible, try not to drag the debris from the previous day around with me. Putting on loud music and emptying your lungs certainly helps. (In the bath as opposed to a shower though.)

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    1. Ohhh….I’m so glad you liked my new word. LOL! Word of the year? Let’s hope things turn around so we can muse and ponder…come up with a more positive alternative? 😉 I love your thought…’not dragging debris from the previous day’. Perfect! And…sing wherever it works for you, I say! 😊

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  16. How’d I miss this post. I love the Voltaire quote. I love too how you described that life doesn’t come with bubble wrap. I’m not sure if I’m really bad optimist or a pessimist who got sent to wrong section, but I share your viewpoint. Too much of pessimism or fake optimism is a bad thing. I find I operate best with a touch of both. Fascinating look at both. Thank you for sharing

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