Posing, Exposing & Composing My Way to Joy

You can listen to this blog post and others on my podcast, Opening the Gate.

In case you haven’t heard the story already, during the start of the pandemic, while I was suffering from deep depression and anxiety, my husband Dave and I began racing rubber ducks in the creek behind our house. What started as a spontaneous activity became a stepping stone for a path leading out of my darkness.

Since that first afternoon, Dave and I have held many races for an ever-growing field of competitors. We record and commentate on the races in real time before posting on Facebook. Quite a few of them are on youtube and my website, and you can find the links to all my rubber duck related activities through linktree at linktree/feliciabrown.com

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned through the ducks is that it’s OK to look silly to find your joy. And evidently it is something I’m here to learn really well, at least as evidenced by the last few days.

Three quick stories…

First, on Thursdays I get up early to take a Hot Yoga Class with a favorite instructor, Nicholas. His class is one of the few “normal” activities I’ve returned to since the pandemic began and I really enjoy it. But this week’s class was even more special because I took The Dream Team Ducks (Quicky, Quacky, Uni, Little Red and MC Killer  -plus two others Clementine and Marcello) with me. Once I got set up for class, I got each of ducks situated on mats in front of mine and gave smaller “yoga ducks” to the other students and instructor.  During the class when I was struggling with a pose I would look at the ducks, smile and relax a little. Everyone else enjoyed the visitors and we took a few photos after to commemorate the occasion. Silly yes, but it was a great smile-filled start to the day!

Story two –

As an author, speaker and entrepreneur, I’m always on the lookout for PR opportunities and “exposure” meaning the chance to showcase some aspect of my professional persona and work. This could be through print or online media, television coverage, public appearances , speaking events or something else. So when an email requesting ideas about wellness showed up in my inbox, I knew I’d explore it.

As I reviewed the simple yet somewhat serious form from a well-established news organization, I immediately knew I had to tell them about my adventures and healing from working with the ducks. It’s fun, quirky and very different from the norm which can make for a good story. I knew I might come across as a few feathers short of a full load, but waxed poetic about the joy I’ve experienced from racing and writing about The Dream Team Ducks. I’m not sure if I’ll get a call back, but the grins and giggles I’ve had since pressing enter have already made the effort worthwhile.

Story three – After my yoga class, I was perusing Facebook and noticed a friend had posted a photo of his new bright yellow medical wristband obtained during a hospital visit. This prompted me to send a picture of some matching Yellow support ducks. As the conversation went back and forth, a plan of getting together soon was made after not seeing each other in years . “Ducks will bring us back together!” he wrote. Without warning, a melody and improvised lyrics popped into my head. I immediately began composing a new version of an old favorite – at least the first verse - which I will now share with you. Thanks to Bob for inspiring my creativity and apologies to the Captain & Tennille.

Ducks Will Bring Us Together
Link to the karaoke version I listened to while singing 

The "official" video with The Captain and Tennille

Well…the fact I not only wrote and recorded this song but also am sharing it here makes me wonder…

Has One (meaning me) Flown over the ducks nest?

Am I few feathers short of a full load?

Or am I just letting my freak, or…flock…flag fly?

Doesn’t matter, I guess, because I know I’m feeling better, having fun and enjoying spontaneous moments of joy I stumble across while posing, exposing and composing with the ducks. Does it matter what others think of me? Well perhaps in some ways it does, but what matters most is what I think of myself.

And I think I am perfectly fine posing, exposing and composing my silly way to joy.