One of my greatest pleasures of 2019 has been watching my nephew’s personality unfold since he was born 12 months ago.
When I give him a cuddle and start to sing, he joins in.
It’s a tiny, open-mouthed, “Ahhh,” held for 1-2 seconds at a time.
He sings without inhibition.
And his lack of it makes everyone smile.
Somewhere along the way, though, we learn inhibition.
We discover that the school yard rebukes those who act differently. We’re chastised for colouring outside the lines. We learn shame.
When we’re doing work that matters, it’s easy to fall victim to inhibition, to worry about failure, or to feel self-conscious.
My nephew’s singing, though soft and sweet, is a bold reminder to let go of what other’s may think.