What are you humming?

“Did I just hear Mary Poppins?”

I laughed, a bit self-consciously, as the man in the Capitol asked me the question.

“Yes, sir, or actually, rather, it was from ‘Sound of Music.’ Same actress!”

Half an hour later, back in my office, my co-worker asked me, “Is that like your favorite song or something? You’re always humming it.”

“My Favorite Things” seems to be the tune that I automatically begin to hum. That or Christmas songs.

I was stopped by a lady in the Post Office the other morning who asked, “Are you the one who was just singing a Christmas carol?”

I had to admit that even though Christmas was several months past, I was still humming random Christmas carols without even thinking about it.

In order not to drive my co-workers crazy, I’m making a conscious effort to hum something different than “My Favorite Things” once in a while. But some songs just aren’t as easy to hum. For example, I listen to Country music all the time, but you’ll never catch me humming it. Instead I stick to old familiar tunes. Hymns are also usually very easy to hum–“How Great Thou Art” is the tune I’m switching to every time I catch myself humming “My Favorite Things” today.

Having been “caught” humming, it made me stop to think: what am I unconsciously reflecting about myself by humming these songs? So far I haven’t thought of anything wrong with humming “My Favorite Things.” In fact, it seems to make the people who hear me smile. And when I’m not having the greatest day, I usually manage to cheer myself up by humming as well.

But my question for you is, what are you humming today?