Don’t let nothing break your stride

During the pandemic my husband and I have been listening to a lot of music to keep our spirits up. We have enjoyed rock, country, pop, soul, new wave, reggae, go go and R&B. One song in particular that motivates me personally right now is “Break my stride” by Matthew Wider. This catchy toon has a calypso beat and lyrics that stick in your head. The chorus has been my anthem for the past month.

‘Ain't nothin' gonna break-a my stride Nobody gonna slow me down, oh no I got to keep on movin' Ain't nothin' gonna break-a my stride I'm running and I won't touch ground Oh no, I got to keep on movin'.

Wilder released this recording in 1983 and by 1984 it had made it to number 5 on Billboards Hot 100 chart. Several artist have done remakes in subsequent years but I love the original. I find the lyrics so empowering because numerous people that I have talked to feel as if they are on hold and life as they knew it has stopped. I’ve been making use of a lot of old sayings recently that along with Break my stride, keep me moving in spirit even when I cannot physically go anywhere. I once heard it said that we can’t keep the birds from flying over our heads but we don’t have to allow them to build a nest. We cannot stop COVID-19 pandemic and the havoc it is causing. We may not like all the changes that have taken place but we can learn to adapt and not allow it to get us down.

Wear the mask and keep on moving. Social distance and don’t break your stride. When I sing my anthem I change the lyrics to “ Corona can’t slow me down, Oh no I got to keep on moving.” It’s difficult right now for everyone and can be depressing but I keep moving along any way I can. I walk through my neighborhood and to a few local stores singing this tune under my mask. I keep my distance but wave at people, nod or talk to them through my mask. I accept that this is a drain where I cannot participate in previous activities but to coin a phrase, there is no use crying over spilt milk. Music has been a lifesaver for my husband and I. We sing, we dance and we sing and dance with the grandchildren.

My daughter and her family temporarily live in the same house as us on the bottom floor and we don’t have to social distance from them which is a huge blessing. I crank up Break my stride and my seven year old granddaughter will jump on my bed and sing with all her might. I will cherish these memories when they move. I think often on the phrase that a rolling stone gathers no moss. I cannot sit still and allow this current coronavirus to get the best of me. I’m reading more now and even using Kindle although I said I would only read books but life changes and we must adapt.

I just found out that a local business owner began having mental health issues because COVID-19 interfered with life as he knew it. His family said it caused him to commit suicide. I used to purchase biscuits from his business and he was always so friendly. I am so sorry he could not find a way to cope with his current situation. This coronavirus is causing harm in so many ways and that’s why it’s important to find ways to keep ourselves motivated. This past Saturday a good friend of my husband was buried and that evening I was told a longtime acquaintance of mine passed away. I was in a daze for a while and grieving but as soon as I listened to Break my stride I began to feel better.

COVID-19 has shaken up the entire world and right now no one knows when things will get better. Work, school, religious services, funerals, and vacations are but a few of the things that have changed due to the pandemic. Singing a song won’t magically make all the problems disappear but it can help improve your mood and that’s important. Ever since Memorial Day people all over the East Coast have been shooting off fireworks on a nightly basis. My cousins in Baltimore are hearing them as well as people I know in North Carolina. I am not aware that this was any type of coordinated effort but it has continued and so many people are complaining. I, however am beginning to enjoy it because I think I understand what the fireworks represent. I imagine that the fireworks are the song of choice for all the people who are lighting them. It’s their way of dealing with the pandemic and saying ;

“Ain't nothing gonna a break my stride, nobody’s gonna slow me down, oh no, I got to keep on movin. Ain’t nothing a gonna break my stride I’m running and I won’t touch ground Oh no I got to keep on movin.

As I sing this song I considered that water is supposed to flow, and standing water becomes stagnant and smells. I can’t stop to dwell for a long time on all the atrocities and casualties of this war named pandemic. I can’t allow myself to stagnate so I must keep moving along in order to survive. Singing my anthem is a big part of my journey.