Jenifer’s Journal: Of thee we sing

A week ago today a surprising, heartwarming number of visitors and residents showed up under a canopy of gray, dripping clouds, braving the persistent drizzle to honor Memorial Day. Some of the stalwart representatives of our Island community — firefighters, the Ladies Auxiliary, the DAR, and of course, the Islanders, past and present, came to remember those who have laid down their lives for this country.

After the always-galvanizing reports from the rifles (and the traditional scramble for the spent shells), for the first time in my memory, anyway, they moved us into the Legion for the speeches, and they were wonderful.

And for the songs. As has happened in many demonstrations, ceremonies, sporting events, etc., that I have attended in recent years, the job of singing our National Anthem gets given to certain performers, not audience members. In this case, three of the most talented young women I know, Sarah Mundy, Shelby Mundy and Jessie King, began to sing “The Star Spangled Banner,” but I couldn’t help but start to sing along under my breath.

Per usual, too, I got some side-eyes from a few people standing nearby, but a few others joined me in my peaceful, sotto voce insurgence. Once more, I felt song-starved, like I had at No Kings rallies and recent school gatherings. But then Linda Bonaccorso, in her rich, beautiful voice, began singing “God Bless America.” 

I’m not sure if she invited us to join her, but suddenly we all were singing — loudly, together, young and old, Americans — making the magic happen that has been missing from our beleaguered, divided nation for years now. 

If you need reasons why the act of singing together in large groups is beneficial, and why those benefits are needed now more than ever before, here’s an excerpt of a recent online article from chorusamerica.org:

“Singing in large groups fosters deep social connection and boosts mental and physical well-being The synchronized breathing and shared rhythm release endorphins and oxytocin — chemicals that instantly reduce stress, elevate mood, and act as a social bonding agent, even among strangers.

“To break it down:

• Immediate Social Bonding: Singing together triggers the release of oxytocin (the “bonding hormone”). This creates strong, fast feelings of closeness, helping to counteract the feelings of isolation in modern life.

• Stress Relief and Mood Boost: It actively decreases levels of cortisol — a primary stress hormone — while boosting “feel-good” chemicals like dopamine and serotonin.

• Biological Synchrony: When large numbers of people sing the same tune, their heart rates and breathing patterns physically align, fostering an unspoken, shared connection across the entire group.

• Pain Tolerance: The collective effort has been shown to increase pain thresholds, serving as an effective, natural mechanism for managing discomfort.

• Enhanced Sense of Community: Working together toward a shared creative goal instills a deep sense of inclusion, pride, and collective achievement.”

You may be reading this column the day it comes out — Thursday, June 4 — exactly one month from our nation’s 250th birthday. It may be hard for many of us to feel that it’s anything like a “Happy Birthday” with so much cynicism, despair and isolation that are pulling us apart and pulling us down. But, as far as I can see, this country has never been closer to becoming a true democracy, a “more perfect union,” than it is today.  

It’s been forced to come face-to-face with the hypocrisy, the arrogance, the intolerance, the inequality that has been at war with its “better angels” since its birth. It is still a miracle, unlike any other nation on earth, and with sweat, commitment and determination provided by its citizens, it can finally start turning its dream into a reality.

But we must begin with unity, citizens of all backgrounds and ethnicities coming together, like-hearted in one flaming desire to preserve and protect the freedom and equality promised at America’s birth. That’s the unity that gets reborn every time we come together to sing our hearts out to the country we must love now more than ever.

There are community groups on the Island planning all kinds of events. I know the Legion is presenting a fascinating program on Sunday, July 5, called Voices of Valor — check it out. But I’m also hoping that a “Community Sing” is in the works. Hey, if it comes to that, I’ll bring copies of patriotic song lyrics to Wades Beach, or the top of Goat Hill, or somewhere, on the Fourth and just start singing.  

We need all our voices, whether or not you can carry a tune, we all can carry the message: We love you, America! And then it just may be a very Happy Birthday after all.