Ever had a tune stuck in your head? The tune and or words just keep going round on a loop inside your head. Maybe they go away for a short while then up it all starts again. You’re fed up of hearing it yet don’t seem to be able to switch it off. Apparently this irritation has been given a name that has found it’s way into popular culture and is known as an ‘ear-worm’. Maybe it has it’s origins in the larvae that crawls into people’s ears in some far off exotic clime the name of which escapes me now but I learned about it from the television. In fact, I heard of the ear-worm on Radio Two when I still used to tune in to it.
Modern media has a lot to answer for as it shapes our behaviours and views which may not be a good thing; on the other hand it also teaches and informs. If you you tell me you do not want to hear or watch some of the less pleasant or acceptable presentations then my advice would be to use the ‘off’ button. Sounds simple, perhaps patronising, but I never cease to be surprised at the number of people who express outrage at such and such being shown but still watch it. The content of the media is driven by viewer or reader numbers, if ‘disgusted of Tunbridge Wells’ just turned off or stopped buying it would have a huge impact.
I can give one example. It must be at least twenty years ago during really cold weather late in the year the price of cauliflower suddenly shot up from about 45p to £1, due to the inclement weather we were told. The value of that increase was much higher than today. Shocked consumers, of which I was one, simply didn’t buy them. Result was the price came down. If you are not happy about something, the power is in your hands, or feet, if you are will to say enough!
Anyway, I digress. Recently I had an ear-worm which all started quite innocently. I was humming some tune and words from a much loved well known hymn, then it got so I found I kept on doing it, and doing it …… ‘I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad’ etc. Then I paused for a moment after several days and found I could not for the life of me recall what the first lines were so for s few days more round and round went the loop until the eureka moment. I know it, “I heard the voice of Jesus say, come unto me and rest, lay down thy head thy weary one, lay down thy head upon my breast” I came to Jesus as I was etc… Got it at last, such a relief but not just a relief, it was a comfort too. It was as if the voice had been speaking to me until at last I took notice and acknowledged the sender.
God speaks to us in many different ways not just in voices or songs but in actions too, often the actions of others even through the uncommitted. I could give other examples I hope you can too, or am I the only one who hears voices?!
Pam