Spirituality: What is Your Theme Song?

On various retreat workshops, I have asked participants to consider their theme song. What song would you like played over a public address system to announce you as you walk into a large room? What song best speaks about your relationship with God?

Jim Croce's song "I Got a Name" is the song that best reflects the events in my life that led me to trust more fully in God.

I liked the tune when I first heard it in 1973 on the radio because it is peppy, upbeat, and has great movement to its theme.

The other times when I heard it in a meaningful way were:

• when my family collected my disabled sister at the end of her summer residential program and brought her home. My sister was in her teens and it was her first time away from home. Each weekend we would travel to see her, but my parents were heartbroken when we left her there and throughout the week. I recall hearing this song on the ride home after we picked her up to be with us once again.
• when my parents and I took care of my niece when she was in an unhappy home environment. My sister (my niece's mother) was not ready to be a mother and we looked at the unhappiness of my niece during a visit. She was happy to see us. We asked permission to take her home with us and to my credit, my sister said 'yes.' I recall on the drive home, my parents handed my toddler niece to me. It felt right to collect her and I heard the song on the radio once again. Everything felt right.
• when I left my job at a human service agency for a career in banking - it meant that I would leave the expectations of a small textile mill behind and strike out on my own. In some ways for me, it meant giving up on my sister, but at the same time, I had to begin my life. I had a promising career in human services and left for the complete unknown. The day I left my job, as I drove home, I felt confirmation once again that it was the right thing to do when I turned on the radio and I heard the words, "and I'm gonna go there free."
• and finally, when I posted my application for the Society of Jesus just as I was awarded the Presidents' Circle Award at Eastern Bank. I spent 10 years in banking and I did well with that type of work. Early on in my career, I began my faith crisis when I won an award for the bank and was given job offers double and triple my salary, but I did not want to accept them because I thought my life was asking more of me. After a day off from a snowstorm in which I wrote my application, I brought it to work, was greeted with the news of my award, and had to discern which way God was calling me. After several days, I had the courage to post the application. Feeling relieved, once again somewhere along the drive the song came on the radio. I was beginning to understand the importance of this song to my life.

Each time I heard this song I was assured of the rightness of our/my decision. It seemed to be a confirmation from God about the choices I was making.

I especially likedthe middle part of the song that says, "And I'm gonna go there free." My life with God has been about growing into new freedom.

The song seems to tell me that I've got a name, I got a dream, I got a song.

Click on the link below to hear the song.

Jim Croce's 1973 Classic "I Got A Name."

What is your theme song?