This may seem silly, but occasionally when I am home by myself, I like to put on this beautiful CD called "Global Lullabies" by Freyda Epstein. It's a collection of lullabies from around the world in various languages, and it is the most calming music you'll ever hear. I have a particular favorite entitled "Shaker Medley." The lyrics and melody are simple but they are soothing and sweet which sometimes is exactly what I need after a long day.

The first time I encountered this CD was when I worked as a toddler teacher at Bright Horizons. One of the aspects of our center's mission was to teach children about different cultures and have them embrace whatever characteristics made them special. I can remember many an afternoon rubbing the little toddlers' backs as they fell asleep to this music at naptime...little Talia whose ponytail would be splayed across her blotchy cheek, Jonathan (Jon-Jon) who would sometimes wake up in a panic-stricken nightmare and need to be rocked back to sleep, and Rishi, one of my favorites, who would sprawl out all over his cot...and usually end up in a pool of drool. Their innocence always moved me. No matter how hectic my day was, or how crazy they were acting before their naps, you couldn't stay angry looking at their beautiful faces and listening to that CD. I loved each and every one of them in my own special way.

I just did a bit of research on my favorite song which turns out to be a Shaker hymn:

"Love is Little" comes from South Union, Kentucky, ca. 1834; its words are "Love is little, love is low/Love will make my spirit grow/Grow in peace, grow in light/Love will do the thing that's right," expressing in its mild simplicity the Shakers' abiding belief in humble faith and fellowship, rejecting the excessively charismatic preaching and apocalyptic prophesizing common in that age of religious reform and zealotry.

The entire lyrics, from what I can gather (the whole song is nowhere to be found on the internet!) are:

Love is little, love is low
Love will make my spirit grow...
Love is little, love is low
Love will make my spirit grow...

Grow in peace
Grow in light
Love will do the thing that's right.
Grow in peace
Grow in light
Love will do the thing that's right.

Love is little, love is low
Love will make my spirit grow...
Love is little, love is low
Love will make my spirit grow...

I have a little nogan filled with love, sweet love, love
Mama sent me here with it
To feed her simple doves

It is sweet, it is sweet
It is very, very sweet
Chick, chick, chick, chick
Pretty chicks,
Come and eat...

Then the Chorus repeats again.

It's beautiful. It really is. I highly suggest it for children...or for adults.